For Then, For Now, Forever
by roswellianprincess16
Summary: Liz finds a strange necklace and begins to have unexplainable dreams. What connection does it have to Max's past? And does it know her future?
1. How it All Began

Title: For Then, For Now, Forever  
  
Disclaimer: ROSWELL DOES NOT BELONG TO ME!!!! Although…. No, not even! =)  
  
Summary: Liz finds a necklace and begins to have strange dreams. Is it the key to Max's past or perhaps her future?  
  
Characters: M/L, M/M, I/J rated PG-13  
  
Notes: Takes place into season 3. Changed some things. Let me know if you like! R&R  
  
"Your Highness?" The soft and soothing voice followed the princess into the courtyard. She sat, picked wild flowers and got her long white dress a little dirty.    
  
"Miss... please. You were due for dinner about an hour ago." The small child with the big brown eyes and dark brown hair looked back at the old woman taking care of her.   
  
"Yes Momma Claudia." She stood up with all the grace and charm of a queen and slowly placed the flowers in the pockets of her gown. They walked into the castle and the young child ran upstairs to bathe. Claudia went into the kitchen to look over the preparations.   
  
"Does she know?"    
  
"I don't believe so, no." Another woman stood with long curly red hair and beautiful green eyes. She had a long dress on as well, and she wore her crown. Claudia was excited. She knew everyone only got this worked up for big events. And finally this was truly a big event.    
  
"Everything needs to be perfect! I want these dishes completed in an hour. Our guests should be here at 7 p.m. prompt. It isn't easy to please Antarians. Their taste of food is rather eccentric. However, it can be done!" She walked out of the kitchen looking frustrated and looking around the castle making sure everything was prepared.   
  
"Do you need anything else dear?"   
  
"No Mother, thank you. You've been a great help. I just hope this works out for the best. I've always hated the idea of these royal functions, however, I feel this may be the only way." The old woman with graying hair and beautiful brown eyes hugged her daughter.   
  
"Don't worry. I get the feeling that this is right. They have some sort of connection, those two. Just... just let destiny take its course." They both smiled and Claudia made her way upstairs to get the small child. She found her in her room in front of the mirror, a black dress on and brand new sparkling shoes. Her hair was loose but well combed and she looked absolutely beautiful.   
  
"Eliza?" She turned around slightly startled at the sound of her grandmother's voice. She turned and slowly curtsied as Claudia looked on in pleasant amusement.   
  
"You look beautiful sweetheart." The girl walked towards the door and grabbed her grandmother's hand as they walked downstairs together. They took their time, both trying not to trip on their new clothing. Eliza looked up at Claudia and smiled. At that point, Claudia knew that Eliza had figured something out about the ceremonies of that evening. They stared into each other's eyes for a while, and finally Claudia laughed.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Why are we so dressed up Momma Claudia?"   
  
"There will be guests tonight. That's all I will say." She sent the child off to play in the game room. Just as Eliza went to leave, her father, the king, came in. She ran into his arms and hugged him tightly.    
  
"Good afternoon Eliza."   
  
"Hi Daddy."    
  
"You look very beautiful." He kissed her cheek and sent her off. The queen came in from the kitchen and saw her husband and Claudia.   
  
"Great. I'm glad to see you two. There's something I wanted to ask." The king looked at his wife and sighed.   
  
"Oh Kathleen. I don't like this. I really don't." He rubbed his head in frustration.   
  
"Arthur, it will be ok. It's the only way. Antar and Earth have been having very serious problems and if we don't do something about it soon.... we may never be on good terms. We don't want some all out war to brew. That would be horrible."   
  
"I know, I know. But our daughter. Will she hate us? Arranged marriages haven't worked in ages. What if... what if she falls in love elsewhere?" Kathleen went to her husband and hugged him.   
  
"Let us hope and pray that won't be the case. I have to finish with dinner." They walked away and Claudia prayed silently.   
  
"Let this work. For the sake of our planets. For Eliza's sake."   
  
The evening went on and finally the guest began to arrive. Royal families from the connecting system, known as Golden Planets were arriving in bunches. Finally, the honored guests. The long dinner table was full of laughing faces and lively chattering. Kathleen stood up to speak with her guests.   
  
"Thank you all for coming this evening. I hope you will enjoy the meal." As she sat down Arthur stood up and held her hand to remain standing with him.   
  
"The reason we are gathered here today... is because we hope we have found a solution to our problems. The constant bickering between planets is ridiculous this day and age. We have many people forming rebel groups and alliances against particular planets to overthrow them. But we believe that uniting ourselves... in long term union, could help keep the peace between us as well as encourage a lasting friendship between the two planets." He picked up his glass of wine and held it out. "So without further ado, we propose the union of Zan and Eliza." The group cheered and the two youngsters sitting next to each other laughed. A young blonde girl came in from the bathroom and noticed everyone cheering.   
  
"Wow... is that for me?"   
  
"No. That was for me."   
  
"But I'm the oldest."   
  
"Oh sit Lonnie."   
  
"Listen Zan, I'm tired of you telling me what to do ok?" The gorgeous blonde sat and put her head up in pride. She had just told him off. A messy looking boy came up to them and sat next to the blonde girl. He began to eat his food and looked over at Lonnie.   
  
"What is it?"   
  
"Nothing. Just thought I saw food stuck in your teeth."   
  
"Rath you are just sooooo...." She stopped at the nudge from her brother. He was standing up with a glass of juice in his hand and she gathered herself and stood up also.   
  
"With the union of our planets, Antar and Earth, between Eliza and Zan, and the union of Antar and Creselle, between Vilandra and Rath, we hope to form a new league of strong kingdoms, expanding the galaxy." The children all smiled and toasted as a woman with golden blonde hair sat in the corner seat, her young daughter confused, and she vowed to seek revenge.  


	2. Fighting Destiny

Chapter 2: Â   
  
TEN YEARS LATER:Â   
  
"Vilandra! Where is she?" A dark and handsome Zan walked around the castle demanding to see his sister. Rath came into the meeting hall and bowed.Â   
  
"Sir." He went up to Zan and awaited some order.Â   
  
"Where is my sister?"Â   
  
"I haven't seen her all day. She was supposed to meet me for breakfast about three hours ago." Zan stood up and began to pace around the large hall.Â   
  
"This is the third time this week she's simply disappeared. I don't trust what's happening here."Â   
  
"I know what you mean. I've been trying to talk to her, but she insists there's nothing wrong." Rath stops Zan's aimless walking. Â   
  
"What do you think she's up to?" They looked at each other, almost reading each other's mind.Â   
  
"Hopefully nothing too serious." Rath looked over at Zan with a look of enlightenment.Â   
  
"You know this all started at the party some nights ago." Zan sat back in his throne, his head now hurting intensely.Â   
  
"I realize that." Just as he went to say something else, a young blonde woman, beautiful and slender walked in. Â   
  
"Your Highness."Â   
  
"Miss Ava." She smiled and stood up from her curtsy. "I couldn't help but overhear as I came in to see you that you are searching for her Highness the princess. I believe I have seen Miss Vilandra. She was in the garden earlier this morning picking flowers. Perhaps she has just gone into town to sell them." Her deep blue eyes penetrated into his, a strong connection forming between them. She walked closer, and he stood up from his throne.Â   
  
"Thank you." She nodded in submission and as she went to leave, he called to her.Â   
  
"Miss Ava?" Â   
  
"Yes your Majesty?"Â   
  
"Join me for dinner?"Â   
  
"I'd love to." She smiled flirtatiously and walked out. Rath stood staring at Zan in disbelief. Â   
  
"What was that all about?" Zan sat back and smiled.Â   
  
"What?"Â   
  
"You know the rules Zan. You're committed. What about Eliza?" Zan's eyes widened in rage.Â   
  
"Eliza? Where is she? Where has she been for months? They send her off to some school on Earth to get her away from me. Our planets begin feuding again. As far as I'm concerned that deal is off. I haven't even seen Eliza for almost five years. If they want war, they'll get war."Â   
  
"That's a bad idea Zan."Â   
  
"What?"Â   
  
"There are rebels who are seeking to dethrone you. Who will stop at nothing...."Â   
  
"Let them try. I have to do what I think is right." Rath shrugged his shoulders in mild disagreement just as Larek stepped in.Â   
  
"Sir."Â   
  
"Yes Larek. Hello, come in." He motioned for Larek to sit, and at the push of a button a chair arose from nothing.Â   
  
"I have received word that things are very bad on Earth. They say that Miss Eliza has been sent to see you. However, the anger of the people is boiling over and soon enough they will try to war against us." Zan closed his eyes in frustration.Â   
  
"What is she to do here?"Â   
  
"I know not Sir."Â   
  
"Thank you." Larek bows and steps out. Rath looks at Zan desperately.Â   
  
"What now?"Â   
  
"Call in Ava."Â   
  
"For?"Â   
  
"Call her in!" Within minutes Ava was again standing in front of Zan's throne. Â   
  
"You are princess of Caldron are you not?" She nodded her head in agreement.Â   
  
"Our families have for a long time been a bonding unit."Â   
  
"Yes sir." She stood unsure of where he was going with the conversation.Â   
  
"I wish to be married Miss Ava. We can unite our people. Form an alliance and fight off both our enemy; Earth." Her eyes jumped with joy.Â   
  
"I'd be honored." They nodded at each other and she stepped away and out.Â   
  
"Oh Zan..." Just then Vilandra walked in and past Zan.Â   
  
"Lonnie! Lonnie come here!" He got up and ran after his sister. Rath just sighed and followed closely behind. Meanwhile, in the corridor, Ava stood waiting when she was approached from behind by a handsome gentleman.Â   
  
"So what was so important?"Â   
  
"He asked me to marry him!" She tried to contain her excitement but found it practically impossible.Â   
  
"So I came through with my end of the bargain..." She stared into the deep eyes that looked back at her.Â   
  
"Don't worry Kivar. You'll get your kingdom."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Â   
  
"I knew this would happen! I could see it as soon as Eliza came back!"Â   
  
"What do we do?" The young woman ran after Larek as they tried to remain calm.Â   
  
"I don't know Serena... I really don't." She stopped for a second and ran back.Â   
  
"Wait what are you doing!???" He tried to grab her but she stopped and looked at him.Â   
  
"The Granolith Larek. We have to get their genetic materials and get them all to the Granolith. While I do that you keep an eye on Kivar. We'll send them to Earth."Â   
  
"Why did he have to fall in love with her?" Larek sighed in frustration.Â   
  
"It was their destiny."Â  


	3. The Day their Lives Changes

Chapter 3:Â   
  
SEPTEMBER 1999Â   
  
"I'll have a Will Smith Burger and a side order of Saturn Rings."Â   
  
"Anything to drink?" The waitress with the big brown eyes and dark brown hair looked down at the man in the chair and he was breathless.Â   
  
"Sure... umm... what have you got?" He stared up at her nervously. He couldn't believe she was actually talking to him. Of course she had to, that was her job, but it was still amazing.Â   
  
"We've got all the soft drinks in the world and really good shakes."Â   
  
"Umm... what do you suggest?"Â   
  
"Alien Encounter." Â   
  
"Tell me about it."Â   
  
"What?" His head shot up and then just as quickly he put it down, hoping that he hadn't drawn too much attention to himself. She smiled at him, a beautiful smile, and he just couldn't help but shyly smile back.Â   
  
"Yea. That's fine." Â   
  
"Ok." She put her pen and pad in her little alien uniform and started back to the counter. Instead, she turned around and looked at the man for a second.Â   
  
"You do remember that we have a project in Biology together, right Max?" He looked up at her from the corners of his eyes.Â   
  
"Yes." Â   
  
"Ok, great. Stick around, we may get started after I'm done with my shift." He nodded and she walked away, her long brown hair swaying softly from side to side. It looked so soft, and he found himself wondering if it felt that way. He knew it was wrong to think about that. Especially about Elizabeth Parker. She was the most amazing thing to walk the Earth. She was like a princess incarnate. At least for him anyway. Michael came in and sat across from him at their usual booth. They sat talking, about nothing in particular. Or if something, Max didn't notice. He was too busy staring at Liz. His order was brought by Maria, Liz's best friend, and she smiled as she handed it to them. She was pretty, but she wasn't Liz. Â   
  
For as long as Max could remember he had loved Liz. He had stepped off of the school bus that first day of school in third grade and he had seen her. She had been his guiding light. There were no words to describe how she touched him. Â   
  
For years, they'd been in classes together, Max just hoping he'd hear her name on the class roster. Then they got to high school. He saw her everywhere. And this year was the best. He had a class with her... and not only that... they were lab partners! As Max involved himself in his thoughts, he saw Liz and Maria go into the back corner of the Crashdown. He quickly lowered his eyes, realizing Maria had caught on to his staring game and had told Liz. Â   
  
As he tried to focus on Michael, all he heard was screaming and then the gun went off. There really wasn't any time to think. He really didn't have to. All he knew was that it was Liz, and he would not let her die, not if he could do something about it. And that was the day that everything changed. Nothing could ever be the same.Â   
  
Â  


	4. The Necklace

Chapter 4:Â   
  
PRESENT DAY:Â   
  
"Liz?" Max climbed up her balcony ladder and jumped onto the porch. She sat, writing in her journal, a blanket keeping her warm. He smiled at the sight of her and went over to her.Â   
  
"Hey." She looked up at him quietly and he kissed her. He loved kissing her. It felt so... right. It was a familiar feeling. One he'd grown to love, but sometimes under-appreciate. Â   
  
"I love you." He pulled the journal out of her hand and placed it on the floor just as he leaned in to kiss again, this time more passionately as she kissed him back with fire burning in her lips. Â   
  
"What's wrong Max?"Â   
  
"I just had to see you."Â   
  
"Right." She looked up at him suspiciously. He smiled and kissed her once more.Â   
  
"Ok spit it out Mr. Evans." She looked into his eyes and they felt the current run through their bodies. It was something neither of them had ever experienced. Not when Liz was with Kyle or when Max was with Tess. They couldn't explain it. They just knew it was their strongest physical connection.Â   
  
"Ok. I think I know a way to get my son back." Her face drew back in surprise.Â   
  
"What? Is that a bad thing?"Â   
  
"No, no. I just didn't expect that, that's all. That's great... umm... you need anything?" She looked down and then back at Max. She was obviously trying to hide something.Â   
  
"What is it Liz?" She curled up and embraced her knees.Â   
  
"What if.... I mean what if you fall in love with Tess again? Or you go and you forget about me? I mean, there are so many possibilities. I don't know what to think. What if you never return?" She looked at Max weary eyed, and he embraced her.Â   
  
"I would never leave you. And I love you Liz. When I started to remember things... about our planet... I remembered Tess, sure. But I remember something else. I remember feeling like there's something important I'm missing. And my life with Tess seemed a little too perfect. I don't even have a way to prove that those memories are real. But you're real. You're the most real thing that's ever happened to me. Just be happy for me please."Â   
  
"I'm happy. I swear." She smiled and Max hugged her tightly. Â   
  
"Ok..." He went to the ladder, as Liz got up, but then turned back to Liz. He kissed her passionately as he held her face in his strong hands and she simply gave into his seducing ways.Â   
  
"You really have to stop doing that." Liz smiled flirtatiously and Max winked at her before he climbed down the ladder and into the night. Liz couldn't get herself to sleep after that so she made her way up into the attic. She turned the lights on and wrapped the blanket around her a little tighter. She went up to "her" area and found the boxes labeled GRANDMA CLAUDIA. She developed a sudden curiosity and craving for the priceless treasures in the box. As she slowly opened a few, she found old pictures, clothes and Claudia's book about Native Americans. She touched the book with reminiscent tenderness and tried to control the tears she so wanted to shed. Then she found a small box labeled FOR LIZ. She reached for it and slowly, but full of curiosity. She opened it and inside found several things. One was a book with what looked like an unfinished story. Another was a small bag of several objects. There was an old rose, a bracelet of charms, and a letter. Â   
  
My Dearest Elizabeth,  
  
If you are reading this now, it is because I am long gone. I sure hope I didn't cause you too much pain. I just want you to know that you have always meant the world to me. And your lively spirit that leads me to believe you will in fact lead a long and amazing life. There are things, perhaps, that I should have told you, but didn't get the chance. I have left you a half written story. I could not finish it. I want you to read it, and finish it, however you see fit. Because you can't write the ending of a story that's just beginning. You'll understand that someday. Now you need to understand that you are a very special young lady. And our bond was beyond what I can explain. So I have left you my lucky charm bracelet so you can remember me by. But in the box there is something else. There is a necklace. The necklace holds significant meaning. Look at it. Meditate on it. You will find it strangely familiar. Don't ask questions. Just accept. And never forget Liz, to always follow your heart. I love you.  
  
Grandma ClaudiaÂ   
  
Liz was crying by then, clenching the letter firmly in her hands. She could not believe she had waited so long to open the boxes. Two years, a whole two years the treasures had been waiting for her and she had been selfishly grieving a woman who was very much alive in spirit. Liz looked through the box and found the necklace. It was beautiful. It was made of a strange gold, not quite like the one she'd seen before. It was a double necklace, composed of two parts. It was a heart broken into two. One heart had half of planet Earth, the other half had half of what might have been the moon. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Or what it meant. But as she touched it, she had a flash. She felt as if she could remember having the necklace placed on her neck and then kissed. But of course she knew she never had seen the necklace before. Something was weird, but strangely intriguing. Â   
  
Liz grabbed the small bag and the necklace in her hand and ran downstairs. She put the box in her closet, and as she looked in the mirror, she started to place her necklace on her neck. As she closed the latch, and the necklace fell on her chest, she felt the flash again. Except this time, she saw the images in the mirror. She couldn't understand why, but she saw herself in a gown, Max behind her looking into the mirror and placing the necklace on her, then passionately kissing her neck. She shook her head to snap out of it, but the thought was still lingering in her head. Â   
  
"Geez Liz... this isn't the Titanic." She jumped into bed and turned off the lamps. Once she lay in the dark, she realized she was actually very tired. As she closed her eyes, she began to drift into a profound, but dream-full sleep.Â   
  
DREAM:Â   
  
"Why are you here?" A pair of deep hazel eyes looked at her with the sun darkened skin and dark, messy hair. Â   
  
"To discuss politics... sir." Her tone was arrogant and almost mocking. She stared back with her own big brown eyes and long dark hair. She stood tall and majestic. Â   
  
"Politics?" He raised his eyebrows in amusement. He looked over at the blonde beauty next to him.Â   
  
"Eliza... you have met my wife. Have you not?" Ava stood up with her long white dress and golden crown and nodded her head in acknowledgment.Â   
  
"Miss Ava." Eliza stated nonchalantly. She curtsied and then turned her piercing eyes back to Zan. Â   
  
"Do you realize what is happening between our planets?" Zan pressed a button and received a glass of wine.Â   
  
"Would you like a drink Miss Eliza?"Â   
  
"Stop avoiding the subject Zan!" She shot back without thinking and Zan was left appalled.Â   
  
"The subject? And that would be...?"Â   
  
"That our planets are falling apart! Geez... can't you see that millions of people are dying?" She got dangerously loud but was so intense that Zan was actually left speechless. He didn't know why or didn't particularly like the fact that she made him nervous. Her presence was enough to give him butterflies and her intensity drove him wild with thoughts he knew he shouldn't have. Not when she was the enemy.Â   
  
"Ava... please excuse us." Ava looked at Zan confused, seeing something in his eyes that worried her.Â   
  
"Go now." Â   
  
"Yes sir." She stood up and walked slowly out of the room, but not before making sure she caught Eliza's eyes with her jealous glare. She walked out and Zan stood up slowly from his throne. He walked leisurely over to Eliza who stood slightly stiff from nervousness.Â   
  
"You know... I forgot what it felt like to feel. To be truly passionate about something." He stood in front of Eliza, and took her face in his hands. Â   
  
"Why did you leave?" He looked deeply into her eyes, leaving her feeling vulnerable.Â   
  
"I had to. I was forbidden to return. When your father died, you became ruthless and uncaring. Your kingship was unimportant to you and my father saw no future for me here. Then Kivar and his men rose up against Earth and threatened to move in on Antar. I didn't know what else to do." She tried to hold herself up regardless of her weakened knees.Â   
  
"Do you know how you tore me apart by leaving? First my father dies, then my wife to be disappears never to contact me again. I loved you Eliza." He touched her lips and kissed her passionately. Â   
  
"Zan... our planets..."Â   
  
"It's destiny." As they kissed, Ava was talking to Kivar out behind the city wall.Â   
  
"The little princess is here!" Ava's jealousy was difficult to hide. Kivar looked at Ava and held her close.Â   
  
"Don't worry... it's under control. Just let it all play out." Ava looked at him with a seducing glare and he smiled acknowledging her.Â   
  
"What's your plan?" She pulled him in closer to her and he whispered into her ear.Â   
  
"Vilandra is letting me in tomorrow night. She'll open the city gate and I'll come right in and kill them. All of them." Â   
  
"You've gotten pretty close to Vilandra."Â   
  
"Well, I can't tell you what a pleasure it is to see how it's breaking up the relationship between her and Zan." They laughed as he moved in to kiss her.Â   
  
END OF DREAMÂ   
  
Liz awoke violently as she tried to catch her breath. Â   
  
"My God... what was that?!"Â   
  
Â  


	5. Seeking Answers

Chapter 5:Â   
  
Liz knocked fiercely on the door in front of her. She looked around, hoping no one was watching. Not that anyone would think it suspicious that she was visiting her friend Kyle, but, who knows. Besides, she almost felt like people could read her mind, so she didn't want to take that chance. She knocked again for the third time and as she walked away the door finally opened.Â   
  
"Liz?" A groggy Kyle stood rubbing his eyes in confusion.Â   
  
"Can we talk?" She started to make her way into the house without a proper invitation.Â   
  
"Sure..." Kyle looked around outside and then closed the door. He told Liz to go to his room and give him about ten minutes. When he was done, he met Liz in the room looking a little more refreshed.Â   
  
"Ok. Do you know what time it is?" Liz looked at his alarm clock.Â   
  
"I know. I'm so sorry Kyle. I just... well I really need to talk to someone... to you." She looked a little unsure and nervous. He made himself comfortable. He could tell it'd be a complicated talk.Â   
  
"Look. I know that it's not even seven o'clock in the morning yet, but I had a dream. And I couldn't take the chance that I'd forget it." Kyle sat up with a little more interest.Â   
  
"Ok, spill." He crossed his arms on his chest and listened intently on what Liz had to say.Â   
  
"I was searching through the attic last night. I wasn't tired and was sort of curious of the sort of things I had up there. So I started opening up the boxes with the stuff I got from Grandma Claudia. I hadn't even thought about those boxes since she died two years ago. But I found something... that I can't explain. I don't know why she had it. But there's more. I'm starting to have alien related dreams..." Liz whispered the last part to Kyle and he looked at her trying to follow what she said.Â   
  
"Umm... let me get this straight. You found something alien related in one of Grandma Claudia's boxes in your attic and it's giving you nightmares?"Â   
  
"Yea basically." Liz looked at Kyle with a look he hadn't seen in a while. She looked troubled, a bit insecure.Â   
  
"What exactly did you find?" Liz pulled the necklace from out of her shirt. Kyle saw the heart and reached for it. He looked at the intricate details in the pictures of the Earth and another planet. He examined it carefully and looked on the back. Â   
  
"Oh... alien writing!" He looked at Liz wide-eyed and she nodded her head in agreement.Â   
  
"That's not even the sad part. The sad part is I understand what it says." His face shot up with a surprised look.Â   
  
"You know what it means?"Â   
  
"It says Zan & Eliza; Bonding Ceremony; For Now, Forever."Â   
  
"Woah... that's pretty deep." Kyle let the necklace go and Liz sighed loudly.Â   
  
"I don't know what to do Kyle. Grandma Claudia left me a book. It looks like one of the books she was writing, you know she was an author. The only problem is the book is about Max, Michael, Isabel, and Tess. It's about their life on Antar. It's about their kingship and betrayals..."Â   
  
"So wait... who's Eliza?" Kyle gazed with true interest in the matter. Liz lowered her head, as if debating whether or not she should tell him. Then she finally looked up at him.Â   
  
"Would you believe that I think it's me?"Â   
  
"Ohhhhkkkkk.... well, stuff like that I can't help you with Liz. The only person I could think of would be Isabel. She's the only one who could tell you what to think. She was having psycho dreams about Kivar, and he just showed up at her wedding. So if you can catch a couple of seconds with her, she could tell you a thing or two." Liz got up excitedly and hugged him.Â   
  
"Thank you! Thank you so much Kyle. I hope I'm not going psycho..." Kyle laughed and eventually she laughed too. But somewhere inside, she was serious.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
JESSE'S HOUSE:Â   
  
Liz knocked on the front door. By then it was about eight o'clock in the morning and Liz was desperate to talk to Isabel. But she had to make sure Max wasn't around. She wasn't sure she could tell him quite yet. She knocked one more time and the door flew open to reveal a laughing Isabel. She turned to face the person at the door as Isabel's smile faded.Â   
  
"Liz?"Â   
  
"Umm... hey. I'm so sorry I had to just show up like this but we really need to talk." Something about Liz's eyes worried Isabel so she nodded and let her in. Jesse said he had to leave to get breakfast anyway so he gave them a chance to talk. Isabel sat Liz in the dining room and started making coffee. She handed Liz a cup and she sat down with her own cup of tea.Â   
  
"Ok. What's up? Is everything ok? Is it about my brother?" Liz looked at Isabel with worried eyes and hesitated.Â   
  
"Liz?" She put down her cup of coffee and leaned in a little closer, putting her raised leg on the floor and getting serious.Â   
  
"Do you recognize this?" Liz pulled out the necklace from inside her shirt and let Isabel look at it for several seconds.Â   
  
"I don't believe so, no." Isabel was confused as to what Liz was getting at. Then Liz took off the necklace and handed it to Isabel.Â   
  
"Take it. Hold it for a couple of minutes." Isabel looked around unsure of what to make of the strange request.Â   
  
"Ok..." As soon as the necklace fell into her hands, Isabel felt a rush of images fill her brain.Â   
  
FLASHÂ   
  
"Just leave me alone! I'm an adult, I can do whatever I want!" The ravishing princess walked about angrily and turned to stand face to face with her over-determined brother.Â   
  
"He's our enemy Lonnie! How can you so simply let him into your life?" His eyes looked at her in astonished horror.Â   
  
"Look. You don't understand. Nobody understands. I love him..."Â   
  
"You don't!"Â   
  
"God, how can you tell me how I feel?" The deep hazel eyes stared into her own deep brown ones.Â   
  
"I forbid it Vilandra. You won't see him. You won't talk to him. You won't even consider it. And if you do, I'll have you killed for treason." They stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Â   
  
"You can't be serious. You're just angry because YOU screwed up! Because you broke our sacred pact with the Earth kingship and now you want Eliza and you simply can't have her! That's what it is isn't it?" Zan pulled his hand out of his pocket and tightened it into a fist, not realizing that the necklace had fallen. He raised his hand and pointed a finger at her menacingly.Â   
  
"I'll expect you at dinner. NO further comments. I'll be in my chambers." He started walking away when she noticed the necklace on the floor and read the inscription in the back. She thought back to when she was about five and remembered that night. The huge ball that had been held in their honor. The huge celebration at the union of the two most prestigious planets in the galaxy. That was the brother she knew and loved. She couldn't for her life figure out what happened. Â   
  
"Hey." She snapped with the biggest attitude she could afford to play off. He turned around slowly and she threw the necklace at him.Â   
  
"You dropped it." Before he could say anything else, she walked into her bed chamber. Once she turned to lock the door, she was spun around and was face to face with Kivar who started kissing her passionately. She slowly pulled away and looked at him questioningly.Â   
  
"How... what... are you doing here?" He looked into her eyes with a sexy glare and wrapped his arms around her waist.Â   
  
"What... I can't visit?"Â   
  
"How'd you get passed the city gate... the security?" Vilandra's eyes were opened widely in what almost looked like fear.Â   
  
"Don't worry about it... just don't worry about it." He said soothingly as he stroked her hair. He held her tightly and kissed her once more.Â   
  
"We're still on for tonight right?" She looked away for an instant and she looked at him unsure. Â   
  
"I don't know if that's such a good idea Kivar. My brother is very stressed and frustrated. We've got a visitor here, someone from his past and it's taking a toll on his conscience. Just, maybe another night."Â   
  
"But we're talking about peace Vilandra. Peace between the rebel fighters and your planet. How much more can it be stalled?" He craddled her in his hands and kissed her passionately. Â   
  
"Come on..." She sighed in agreement as he kissed her with more urge.Â   
  
"Fine. Come after nightfall." He let go of her and winked.Â   
  
"That's my girl. I love you." She stared at him and tried to convincingly look pleased.Â   
  
"Me too."  
  
END OF FLASH Â   
  
Isabel dropped the necklace in an instant, looking at it almost repulsively. Her eyes were wide with disbelief and fear as she stared at Liz who didn't look much better.Â   
  
"You felt it too, didn't you?" Isabel nodded in agreement.Â   
  
"What... I mean... how...?"Â   
  
"I don't know. That's why I came to you. I need your help. I don't know what it is or what it means or why I had it. It belonged to my grandmother, and she's passed away now. But it's not the type of thing she would have simply collected. It came with a book. I think you should read it. It's frightening Isabel. I wrote in the following chapter about an hour ago. It was the dream I had last night. It was the following part of the story. And I'm sure if you look carefully, what you just felt or saw weaves right into the next chapter. I don't know why I'm having visions of your past but they're vivid. Very, very vivid." Liz widened her eyes to give Isabel a hint as to what she was talking about. Isabel nodded quickly.Â   
  
"Oh I know what that's like, trust me." She looked back down at the necklace. She passed her hand over her face and looked at Liz reassuringly.Â   
  
"Ok. I have an idea. Let's give it one more night. You go home. I'll keep the little... book thingie. If you still have a dream, come to see me immediately tomorrow morning. If this persists. We're going to have to tell Max. Ok?"Â   
  
"Yea... yea ok." Liz stood up and grabbed the necklace and quickly shoved it into her pocket. She went to walk out, but she turned back and gave Isabel a hug. Isabel held her tight, not used to hugs from friends, but glad she could help. That's when she saw an image of them running and screaming through a large corridor. Isabel held her breath and tensed as Liz let go of her.Â   
  
"Thank you Isabel."Â   
  
"No problem." She smiled as real as she could despite her uneasiness. She waited until Liz was out and locked the door. She leaned up against the door at the strange realization.Â   
  
"Who is this Eliza?"Â   
  
Â  


	6. Eliza

Chapter 6:Â   
  
"So I've been working out my powers, hoping that I'd figure out how to do that whole time warp thing that Kivar did to get back to my planet. I mean, I'm sure it's going to take me a while but maybe I'll find it and get my son back and come back, just like that!" Max was getting excited at the prospect and looked at Liz who was looking off into the lake.Â   
  
"Liz?"Â   
  
"Yea?" She snapped out of whatever she was in and looked at Max. He layed down next to her on the deck where they had gone on their 'skinny-dipping turned disaster' date. Â   
  
"You ok?" He tried to look her in the eyes but she hesitantly looked away.Â   
  
"Yea, fine." She turned to finally face him with that face of denial and as her big brown eyes looked up at him innocently he kissed her. First softly, then with all his want right there on the deck. It wasn't even ten seconds and he saw an image he couldn't explain. Liz pulled away from the kiss immediately and nervously pulled back the strand of hair on her face. Max sat up, slightly wide mouthed and simply stared at her for a couple of minutes.Â   
  
"What?" She looked around uncomfortably, feeling exposed.Â   
  
"What was that?" Max searched her eyes for answers but she simply avoided his glare.Â   
  
"What was what?" She smiled unconvincingly and Max looked at her confused.Â   
  
"Liz..." Her face looked up at him, finally showing distress. If she wouldn't tell him, he'd find out himself. He practically jumped on her and kissed her. He kissed her so passionately, she thought they'd go rolling into the river. She tried to concentrate on kissing him back, but as much as she tried to fight it, the images haunted her. He saw them vividly too. The two lovers, furiously loving each other under the darkness of a canopied bed and candles. He felt the intensity. The passion. The secrecy of the circumstance. He pulled away immediately and simply stared at Liz who remained looking pained with her eyes closed.Â   
  
"I don't understand." Liz rubbed her head and finally looked at Max.Â   
  
"Please. Don't ask me. I can't tell you what that means right now." She looked into his eyes pleadingly and realized what he was thinking.Â   
  
"Max... you have to trust me. It's not what you think. You just have to trust me." His eyes looked confused and unsure. More pain was evident than she'd wished, but for right now there was nothing she could say.Â   
  
"Is there something you have to tell me?" He stood awaiting some sort of explanation.Â   
  
"Only that I love you, and I think I know what you're thinking and if that's what you think then you have to trust me more Max, because I would never do that to you." Now it was she that tried to glare into his eyes and see his reaction. He looked up at her, his eyes completely pained by a bad memory.Â   
  
"I lived through a pain like that once Liz... all on account of something you didn't even do. And it led me to do something I'm going to eternally regret. So please... if there's something you have to tell me do it now."Â   
  
"It's nothing like that Max. I swear. I know how hard that is... remember?" She looked away, feeling a pang of guilt at what she said, but also feeling he deserved it. He needed to trust her. She'd done nothing deserving his distrust.Â   
  
"You're still holding on to that?" He looked at her, his eyes looking hurt at her words.Â   
  
"No. I'm sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind. Maybe I'll talk to you later Max." She stood up and started to walk away. Max laid back completely confused, before he got up and into his blue Corvette and drove home. He dragged himself into Michael's apartment and threw himself on the couch. As soon as he reached for the remote control the door slammed open.Â   
  
"Max... I'm glad you're here. We need to talk." Isabel grabbed the control from his hands and threw it on the coffee table. He looked up at his sister frustrated.Â   
  
"What is it Iz?" She looked at Max who looked exhausted.Â   
  
"Are you feeling ok? You look horrible."Â   
  
"Thank you Isabel."Â   
  
"No, no. I didn't mean it that way. Well, anyway. I have to ask you a very important question. And I need you to seriously think about it... to think hard." She smiled one of her 'so what do you think' smiles which were normally a sign of trouble.Â   
  
"Just ask the question."Â   
  
"You were remembering things from our planet right? You can sit and concentrate and remember things if you focus hard."Â   
  
"I guess I could... why?" Max shook his head stressed. He was beginning to develop a headache.Â   
  
"Do you remember an Eliza?"Â   
  
"Eliza?"Â   
  
"Yes. Think hard Max please. I really need to know." Max sat for an instant and couldn't possibly connect it to anything he'd ever heard before.Â   
  
"No... I'm sorry."Â   
  
"Think harder!"Â   
  
"What is it you want me to say Isabel!?" She opened her pocketbook and pulled out a small journal sized book.Â   
  
"What is that?" She handed it to her brother who skimmed through the pages and saw names that gave him shivers.Â   
  
"This... this is about us?!" She nodded in agreement and then managed to stop on one of the last few pages and point them out to him.Â   
  
"Read." He started to read through what Isabel herself had added. Then he turned a few pages back and realized Liz's hand writing.Â   
  
"This is Liz's book?" He could hardly contain the chaos in his head. He read quickly through the pages. Isabel saw familiarity in his eyes and looked at him nervously. He read through Zan and Vilandra's encounter and then her meeting with Kivar. He looked up at her in amazement. And she just stared at him, unsure of his next reaction.Â   
  
"I remember that day...."Â   
  
  
  
Â  


	7. Dreams

Chapter 7:Â   
  
"You can't stay."Â   
  
"I realize that." Zan stared at Eliza with passion burning through his eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long beautiful necklace with a heart on it. He pulled it apart, handed her the side with the Earth and placed it softly on her neck as she gazed up at him in the mirror. They made eye contact, with intense, burning eyes and refused to look away. She looked intently at his reflection in the mirror, and he at hers. Finally, he grabbed her chin softly and turned her to face him. They simply stared into each other's souls, not wanting to turn away. As he began to near her, she turned her face away.Â   
  
"What?" He kept his gaze on her and she looked at him looking at her through the mirror. Â   
  
"You have to leave Zan. Now." Â   
  
"Now?" He kept staring and she pulled her long brown hair over her shoulder.Â   
  
"Yes now. I wouldn't want to get involved in another one of your political discussions." She turned to look up, straight into his eyes to prove her seriousness. Instead, she felt her knees go weak and the butterflies she simply couldn't avoid.Â   
  
"You feel it too don't you?" The statement threw her off and she simply stared at him blankly.Â   
  
"Feel it...?" He placed his hand softly on her cheek and pressed his lips firmly against hers. The shock between them was so strong it was almost physically straining. There was such a connection between them. Something beyond physical attraction.Â   
  
"Zan..." Before she could finish her sentence they were involved in their own thoughts. He snapped his hands and the lights went out, as the candle lights went on. He kissed her and he felt himself losing all sense of reason. Â   
  
"Why do you do this to me?" He ran his fingers through her hair trying to pull away from her, but finding himself wanting not to. Â   
  
"Stop! Stop, just stop." Eliza pulled away abruptly, and reached for her necklace on her neck, nervously twirling it. He walked up to her back and wrapped his arms around her waist. He lay his head on her shoulder for a second, then he whispered into her ear.Â   
  
"DO you really want me to leave?" She shivered at the warmth of his voice and the passion behind it. She spun around and stood face to face with his intense hazel eyes. Â   
  
"No..."Â   
  
"Then don't fight it. It's destiny..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Â   
  
Max shot up in bed and looked around the room to make sure he was really awake. He breathed in deeply at the images that were still haunting his head so strongly. He got himself up and out of bed. He looked at the clock. It was still five o'clock in the morning. He lay on his back and looked up into the ceiling, thinking hard. He had to talk to Liz. He had to find out why she had that necklace. He had to find out why he remembered all of these things all of a sudden. And most of all he had to know why the woman in his dreams, Zan's destined lover, was Liz. It had to be. The depths of her eyes, the color of her hair, her scent. He stopped himself for an instant. Â   
  
"Do I really remember what she smelled like?" He reached over into his night table drawer and pulled out a letter from Liz. He touched it softly and actually thought he could smell her vanilla scent. As he went to put it back, he saw the book Isabel had given him that afternoon. He thought of the dream he'd just had and pulled out the book. He looked through several of the pages. He read through the intricate details and images that were so simply placed in front of him. The bonding ceremony, the split up, the problems between countries, his rushed engagement to Ava, Eliza's return, his sudden realization of their attraction and connection, Vilandra and her secret meetings with Kivar, he and Eliza's secret rendez-vous. There was so much. It was so clear and it all made so much sense. It was frightening how much seemed real. Or maybe it was. He began to write in the blank pages of the book. He wrote down everything he could remember in detail. From his entrance to the room, to every other detail that made his stomach knot. He had to do something, and he knew just the thing. He grabbed the book with the new chapter he'd added and after he dressed, he made his way to see Isabel. He quietly knocked on her window and he saw her jump.Â   
  
"Max!"Â   
  
"Shhhh..." She motioned to the front door and tied a robe on over her nightgown. Max ran to the front and she unlocked the door.Â   
  
"What are you doing here?" She looked at him terrified, feeling uncomfortable that her brother saw her in bed with her husband, not that she was doing anything with him, but still.Â   
  
"I wrote. I wrote about a chapter's worth. This Eliza you were talking about. I don't know who she is, yet. But I have a feeling. And it's a feeling that I just can't ignore. I had a dream tonight. A very, very vivid dream. And it was a familiar feeling that I got. So I need you to do me a favor. Can you do that for me?" Max looked at his sister pleadingly.Â   
  
"What."Â   
  
"Dreamwalk her. Dreamwalk Liz. I need to know what she's thinking right now." Isabel nodded in agreement. Max handed her a picture of Liz from his wallet. She looked at him and hesitated. Then she grabbed the picture, placed her finger on it, and closed her eyes. Max placed his hand on hers and he felt himself drift with her.Â   
  
LIZ'S DREAMÂ   
  
"Grandma Claudia, please help me. I don't understand what's happening to me. Why am I seeing these things? Why am I feeling this way?" A bright light shone and Claudia stood in front of Liz, looking healthy and happy, as she had the few days before she'd died.Â   
  
"Liz... you've forgotten everything I've told you."Â   
  
"What... what did you tell me?"Â   
  
"Never forget to follow your heart."Â   
  
"Grandma Claudia that doesn't work. You go into places you just can't be..."Â   
  
"Or don't want to be." Liz looked up at her grandmother who looked down lovingly.Â   
  
"You know that Max fellow you spoke to me about. How you thought he might potentially be your soulmate? Did you ever figure that out?" Liz sighed loudly. She looked up at her grandmother with tears in her eyes.Â   
  
"I love him so much... so much that it hurts. But it's not meant to be. He has to be with someone else. He has to."Â   
  
"Does he love you."Â   
  
"He says he does..."Â   
  
"Do you think he does?"Â   
  
"Yes." Liz began to cry and Max who sat in the corner with Isabel unnoticed wanted to run and take her in his arms and assure her that she was the one and only for him. But he couldn't. She had to get it out.Â   
  
"Liz... Max is different, isn't he?"Â   
  
"Yes."Â   
  
"Like you?"Â   
  
"What do you mean?" Liz looked at her grandmother's sparkling eyes curiously.Â   
  
"You always had this... maturity. This essence I got from you that I never understood. You lived like there was no tomorrow, but like you've lived before and you were confident you'd live again. It was in complete contradiction to your overorganized personality. And when I saw you after the shooting you looked so... alive. So in touch with a part of you that you'd been missing. A deeper part."Â   
  
"A deeper part?"Â   
  
"You were changing. And I could see it." Her grandmother grabbed her hands and placed them together. She looked at Liz, awaiting an action.Â   
  
"What do you want me to do?" Liz looked at her hands in prayer position and stared blankly at her grandmother.Â   
  
"Whatever comes naturally... there's something in you that's guiding you. Some destiny perhaps?" At the sound of the word she had so grown to loathe, Liz looked down at her hands and saw the blue glow between them. Her mouth fell slightly open and she immediately felt the rush of an image in her head. She and Max in a cave, awaiting instruction as they went to see River Dog, and Max had made a blue light glow out of his hands. She immediately let go of her hands in horror and fear. Â   
  
"Oh God, I'm so confused! Grandma... Grandma???" Liz began to cry and Max looked on in complete astonishment. Liz was really upset. Â   
  
"Liz?" She turned and saw Max. Â   
  
"Max?" She tried to wipe away the tears and compose herself. Instead she hugged him and cried. And finally she fell into a dreamless sleep.Â  


	8. Eraser Room

Chapter 8:Â   
  
"So I was thinking we should get together this weekend. We haven't had a real girl's night out in... well in forever and I think it's about time you give me some lovin' ok? 'Cause I don't appreciate Max getting all the attention." Maria smiled and Liz laughed as she walked over to her locker.Â   
  
"We'll see Maria. Maybe this weekend we can go to a movie or something. If I get off of this punishment thing my dad thinks I'm on."Â   
  
"And if not... then I'll rent movies and crash at your place. Geez Liz, you had to go and get caught robbing a convenience store." Maria rolled her eyes playfully and bid good bye to her friend. Liz laughed at the silliness of the entire situation when actually said out loud and began to turn the numbers of her combination for her locker. She reached down to get her books and as she went to put them in, she was completely shocked. Inside her locker stood a single white rose and a note.Â   
  
I was thinking about you last night. There's something important I want to talk to you about. Meet me in the eraser room last period. If you can't make it, leave a note in my locker and instead we'll meet on your balcony right after school. I love you Liz.  
  
~MaxÂ   
  
She stared at the note, neatly written on the white paper and the beautiful single rose. Max had his ways of surprising her. She just hoped that what he had to say wasn't bad. She didn't think she could handle bad news now. She had too much going on mentally... and emotionally for that matter. She reached in, stood up the rose, and placed her books neatly in, making an extra effort so as not to crush the flower. She took out her Molecular Chemistry book and smiled once more at the note in her hand. She put it in her book and closed the locker. She turned to go to her last period class and saw Max go into the eraser room. She sighed loudly and looked around. She couldn't get spotted. Getting in trouble again would be suicide. Looking around and realizing that the coast was clear, Liz made her way into the eraser room. Â   
  
"Hey." She stood looking like a young school girl, book in hand and a shy smile. Max looked back at her and smiled. He stared into her eyes, and without another word kissed her. She held the book tightly at the unexpected response and he slowly grabbed it from her and placed in on the book case. They kissed long and hard and finally Liz gave in. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with just as much force. That's when they had the vision.Â   
  
FLASH Â   
  
"I have to leave. If I don't they will begin to suspect." Zan got up from the canopy bed with the dark blue velvet sheets. The dark blue curtains made the room look dark in itself, but it was evident that night was also approaching through the large window.Â   
  
"I know." Eliza looked at him, her huge brown eyes intent on figuring out what happened between them. Â   
  
"I'll be back for you." He placed his robe on and leaned in to kiss her. She pulled away before he could even get close.Â   
  
"This is wrong Zan. We can't do this again. You're married..."Â   
  
"By law yes."Â   
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" She stared at him confused and frustrated. He sat next to her on the bed and ran his fingers through her hair.Â   
  
"I mean that I don't love her. Not like I love you." He kissed her lips lightly and stepped out of the room as quietly as possible. Eliza lay back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling as she sighed loudly. She loved him. She had known that since the first time she'd laid eyes on him over ten years ago. She also knew it when she saw him this time around. A feeling that strong does not go away easily. But she never dreamed he'd still felt the same. All their teenage secret rendez-vous came back to her and she smiled to herself. Was it possible? Their destinies could still play out, Ava may in fact be their uniting force, rather than their enemy. She got up from the bed and headed for the wash room. She'd think it over with a long bubble bath.Â   
  
END OF FLASHÂ   
  
Liz pulled away from Max. He stood staring at her, amazed at the power this small woman held. Liz was like a key to his past. Why it was that she knew all she knew... he wasn't sure yet. Who was this unknown Eliza? He wasn't sure of that either. But he knew that Liz held this amazing power to see things that he or the rest of them could not even remember. Â   
  
"What?" He realized he was staring at her and went to hug her. She wrapped herself around him, comforting herself in the warmth of his hands. There was so much she just didn't understand. Max knew that, and decided he'd find someway to explain it to her. For her sake. She grabbed her book and with a shy smile bid Max goodbye. When she left, he told himself what to do. He'd have to show up at the Crashdown.Â  


	9. Who's Eliza?

Chapter 9:    
  
CRASHDOWN:    
  
Maria turned from the table with her notepad and orders. She sat at the counter and handed Liz the sheet, who put it in the order wheel.    
  
"So, talk to me girl. What's the problem?" Liz turned back to her friend and turned on the milkshake machine.    
  
"I can't tell you now. Patrol duty is watching us".   
  
Maria looked over at Mr. Parker who was sitting behind the kitchen counter watching them.    
  
"Ok. Break time". She took off her apron and grabbed Liz's hand. She dragged her to the back room and Liz sat on the bottom of the stairs. She reached into her shirt and pulled out the necklace.     
  
"Woah! Did Max buy you that?"    
  
"Yeah, right." Liz's sarcasm surprised Maria and even herself.     
  
"Liz, is everything ok?" Liz sighed loudly and stood up.    
  
"What is happening Maria?! I mean, you broke up with Michael, Max's dad is after all of us, well almost all of us."    
  
"Liz, calm down. What will he possibly find out? And even if he did, would it be so bad?" This time Maria sat on the bottom step and Liz paced around.     
  
"He took my necklace. The one he gave me, you know, before leaving. He's stressed about the search, but he is more worried about me."   
  
"Worried about you? Why? That's ridiculous." Liz rushed to the stairs and took off the necklace with the foreign planet. She looked at Maria frightened.    
  
"I'm changing Maria."    
  
"Oh my God, hun, you're losing it!" Liz took Maria's hand and placed it on her own.    
  
"Liz? Liz what the heck…."    
  
"Look at me. Maria just look at me!" Maria looked up worried and as soon as she and Liz made eye contact, Maria felt the strange dizziness of a flash.   
  
FLASH   
  
"She's dead! Eliza come on!" Her hand was tightly wrapped in Zan's and they were running to see Larek.    
  
"Your Highness…" Larek looked lost, unsure of their rush. He had just been sleeping and was still half asleep.    
  
"We're under attack. Vilandra is dead and Ava is missing. Kivar somehow found his way into the city and Miss Eliza needs to find her way back home." They were hysterical and by the time Larek heard it all, he was rushing to find Serena. She came rushing out with bags.   
  
"Your Highness please, let us leave immediately."   
  
"Serena, we have to help. If this Kingdom comes to ruin, Earth is also hopeless."   
  
"If we don't leave, you will die!" Serena looked pleadingly at her princess and took her hand.    
  
"I'm not leaving Serena!" She turned away and looked at Zan and the look in his eyes scared them.    
  
"Round up the troops Larek. We're going to war." Zan let go of Eliza's hand and kissed her passionately before running off. Serena stared in disbelief and Larek could barely move.    
  
"Oh no…oh no, no, no. This is not good." Serena rushed Eliza inside and ran into the chem lab. She took out the quartz and began mixing chemicals into the middle of it.    
  
"Great! This is just great. I'm watching over the heir to Earth who's now in love with the married King of Antar who's under attack by his sister's lover who killed her. I have got to save this planet!"   
  
END OF FLASH   
  
Maria's eyes widened and she gasped.     
  
"How did you do that?"    
  
"I don't know." Liz drew her hand slowly away. Maria kept her eyes glued on Liz who was now sitting next to her on the steps.     
  
"Who's Eliza?" Maria tried to lighten the mood by smiling. She was truly concerned about her friend. She wanted to help, in any way possible.    
  
"That's the scary part. I wasn't sure. But then I started to feel like… it was so obvious. So familiar. Then I remembered something Ava said to me…"   
  
MEMORY:    
  
"You really loved Zan, didn't you?" Liz looked at Ava with her pink, blonde, and black hair and her facial piercings.  
  
 "Yea, but I never really felt it back. I always felt like he was just waiting for someone else to come into his life."   
  
REALITY-    
  
"So what you're saying is that you think Eliza is Zan's 'other'?" Maria was now genuinely interested in the whole situation.    
  
"Yea…but if that's the case then who's Max's 'other'?"   
  
 Liz lowered her eyes sadly and Max walked in the back door.     
  
"Ok…break time over." Maria smiled and got up to leave.    
  
"I'll cover for you Liz." She winked at them both and went out the door into the dining area of the Crashdown. Max went closer to Liz who hadn't stood up from the stairs.     
  
"Can we talk?" Max tried to make eye contact with Liz who refused to look up at him.     
  
"Sure." She got up and started to walk upstairs, as Max slowly followed. They reached her room and he quietly shut the door. He turned to look at her and she was finally looking at him with sad eyes.     
  
"Liz…" He walked over to Liz who was by the window and reached out to hold her hand. She opened it and he looked down at the gold shimmering half- heart with an intricate design of a planet he strangely recognized.    
  
"Liz?" It was now a confused question and he took it from her quiet hands and held it up to the sunlight.   
  
"Umm…it's the moon. The relationship between the Earth and moon was thought to be spiritual and eternal by the Native American Indians Grandma Claudia was always studying. I found it in one of her boxes and thought it was kind of nice."   
  
"Oh…spiritual & eternal." He reached over to her neck and pulled out the Earth half.    
  
"Can I keep this?" Liz looked straight into Max's eyes slightly amused.    
  
"What for? I mean I don't mind or anything, but what would you do with it? You probably wouldn't even wear it, you know you don't really like jewelry." Liz tried hard to convince him, knowing that if he kept it, he'd see the flashes and she needed to figure out what they meant first.     
  
"That's what I came to talk to you about. Liz... when I think of you, I think of eternal. Forever."    
  
"Max…"    
  
"Just hear me out for a second, ok?" Liz nodded softly and sat on the bed. He sighed loudly and profusely and sat next to her.     
  
"There's something about you Liz Parker. Something I've never been able to understand. From the second I saw you I knew… I loved you…."    
  
"Max that was third grade…"    
  
"I not only loved you, but I felt this intense attraction towards you that I couldn't explain. I used to dream about how I'd tell you who I really was. Why? I mean my instinct was immediately to hide from anyone and everyone. But not you. To me you were always so different. Like I knew that I could trust you…" He looked over at Liz and turned her face to his. He stared into her now watery eyes and felt his heart reach out to her as it had the day he'd told her his secret.   
  
"What is it about you Liz? I've been asking myself that question for years. Why is it I need you so? It's like when I'm not with you, I go crazy. You bring out the stronger side of me... the human side." He whispered the last sentence and touched her face.    
  
"I wanna be with you Liz. For now and forever, just you." Liz smiled and then sadly took Max's hand away from her face.   
  
"But that can't happen Max." Her comment confused him. He knew she loved him and she was going to help him find his child because she didn't want to lose him. He didn't want to lose her either. But he couldn't understand why she was so sad.   
  
"Why not?" It was all he could say.   
  
"Because we don't belong together. You know Max, I don't even think you and Tess belong together. I think the love of your life is still out there. Your soulmate... and she's still looking for you."   
  
"If there's one thing I know Liz, it's that I can't look anywhere else. I know what it feels like to be with you..." He paused and looked at Liz who recongnized the words he was saying as her own. "And I know what it's like to be without you. I don't feel complete unless I'm with you. That's what being a soulmate is... isn't it? Two halves of one whole."    
  
Finally, he saw a genuine smile on Liz's lips and he couldn't help but smile himself. She looked down shyly and her hair fell softly from behind her ear onto her face. Max sat in shock for a few seconds, trying to understand the image that had so suddenly flashed in his head. His breathing grew quick as he realized what he'd seen. He saw the beautiful dark-haired, dark eyed princess look down shyly and he raised her head to kiss her goodbye. They knew at this point they would die. Kivar had taken over the castle and was on a killing spree. But there was hope. He and his princess knew about the secret Granolith mission and their hope for restoring the kingdom once again.   
  
"Until we meet again my love." Max whispered, remembering the last moments with her. Liz looked at him strangely amused.   
  
"What?" He looked at her shocked and then looked back down at his half of the necklace still lying in one of his hands.   
  
"Eliza..."  


	10. The Prophecy

Chapter 10:Â  Â Â Â   
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "They're gone.Â  I can't believe it.Â  Now what?"Â  Larek paced back and forth in the chemistry lab.Â  Serena worked slowly, trying to gather what she could to make the quartz work.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Look, I'm only human.Â  I have no special gifts.Â  All I can help with is the science aspect.Â  But you... you can send them to Earth as different people.Â  Give them a new life but the same essence.Â  Make them aware of what happened, but not completely in their memory."Â  Larek looked at Serena amazed.Â  She really surprised him.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "All these years I've known you..."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Not the time Larek."Â  Serena smiled kindly and he smiled back.Â  She was right.Â  They were quickly running out of time.Â  He began to write out a blueprint of what he wanted for the royal family.Â  Serena looked over to see, and then she got an idea.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "What about Eliza?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "What about Eliza?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Well, aren't you going to send her too?"Â  Serena looked appalled at Larek's insensitivity.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Serena she isn't part of the royal court."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "She is Zan's true love.Â  The person he is destined to be with.Â  They were engaged for God's sake!Â  He won't be happy with Ava... he never has been."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I can't send her with them.Â  We can't take the chance that their meeting will destroy his chances of coming back."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "If she doesn't go, he'll never come back.Â  He'll have nothing to come back for.Â  Don't you get it?Â  They're connected.Â  He needs her."Â  At this point Serena was begging so passionately that Larek could not say no.Â  He couldn't argue that she was wrong either, because in a way, she made perfect sense.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Fine...fine we'll send her.Â  But she needs to be a human Serena.Â  She wasn't born on Antar."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I know that."Â  Serena's eyes were sparkling with the thoughts.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "And we need to send them to different places."Â  Serena opened her mouth to protest but he placed a finger to her mouth and shushed her.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "If they are meant to be as you say... they'll find each other."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Â Â Â Â Â Â   
  
Â   
  
The snow was falling lightly on the ground making the scene look like a new, happier place. Max looked around and winced at the sight he had avoided for several months now. The big, bold print on the side of the building stared back at him. ROSWELL PLANETARIUM. He quietly walked in and found Liz by the large telescope.  
  
"Hey." He tried to open up conversation but Liz was silent. In fact, she didn't even look back to acknowledge him.Â   
  
"Maria told me you'd be here." He stepped closer to Liz and heard a sniffle, then another. He stopped, and worried, he tried to speak to her again.  
  
"Look, why don't we leave here. We'll go out to eat or something. Then we can talk."  
  
Max looked back over his shoulder and felt dizzy. He could still see Tess... feel Tess. He had just been so angry at Liz. He'd felt so stressed and deserted. Not even Isabel, his own sister, understood him. But he was wrong. He didn't love Tess, not like Liz. And he knew that she forgave him... but forgetting was much more difficult. Very difficult, in fact.Â   
  
"So I was right." Liz finally managed to choke out some words, but they were so thick, Max wondered if he'd understood. He snapped out of his thoughts and turned startled, right into Liz's face.  
  
"About what?" He gazed down at her and saw her red eyes and pink nose. She was cold and had been crying. Not a good combination for any woman.  
  
"This was it." She looked over to the corner of the room then back at Max. She took off her necklace and placed it in Max's hands. "I can't have this. It doesn't belong to me." Max held the necklace very interested in what Liz had to say.Â   
  
"Who does it belong to?" He had to admit he was kind of amused.Â   
  
"Your soul mate. Your one and only... blah, blah, blah and all that other superior King crap." Liz wiped her eyes and looked away from Max.  
  
"You sound like Maria." He smiled at Liz, hoping to soften her a bit.  
  
"Why? Because I'm honest?"  
  
"No... more paranoid." Liz shot Max a look he'd never seen before.  
  
"Paranoid? No. Barely. I think I fell in love with a boy and then he gets kidnapped by the FBI. Ok, fine. He declares his love, and that same day, I lose him. To what? Destiny, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He conceives a child. Where does that leave me Max?"Â   
  
"Liz I've told you..."  
  
"You tell me a lot of things Max! It's easy to say I love you. Just three little words. After that first time in that truck. I believed you then. But when you say it now... do you even mean it?"  
  
"Is that what you think?"  
  
"What should I think? Now this stupid necklace is giving me flashes of some Eliza girl you loved on Antar. I want to believe that it's me. But how impossible would that be? I mean, you can't have three women in your life. I'm dropping out of that race Max. I just can't win."  
  
"But I do love you...."  
  
"Is that what you said to Tess?" Max's eyes looked up sadly and she almost felt as if she could feel his own pain.  
  
"That hurt...."  
  
"It was over there, wasn't it?" She pointed to the corner Max now loathed.  
  
"Liz I'm over that."  
  
"Well good Max, 'cause I'm not." Liz started to walk out and Max stood speechless. Liz had never flipped on him like that before. He stood stunned, then sadly turned to face Liz's back.  
  
"What can I do to change your mind? So you know, that I do truly love you?" Max's voice sent Liz back to the end of sophomore year when she left him at the pod chamber. Things were so different now. In another place and time, they'd be married and dancing to "I Shall Believe" in some place outside Arizona. Instead, they were confused teens with a criminal record.Â   
  
"Prove it. Find a way to prove it and earn my trust again." Liz had turned to face Max and he'd been shocked at the emotion in her eyes.  
  
"Fine. But please... keep this." Max walked up to Liz and put the necklace in her hand and closed it over it.  
  
"I'll see you Max." She kissed him softly and walked out. She was very confused. He needed to figure out those flashes so she could be in peace with herself... and him. He'd prove somehow that she was in fact Eliza.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Liz walked over the front of the Crashdown and went to lock it. When a pair of blue eyes pushed her in and closed the door.  
  
"Brody?! Where've you been?"  
  
"Liz... I'm Larek." Liz's eyes grew wide and she looked into Larek's blue eyes.  
  
"Uh, what are you doing here?" Liz grabbed the half heart around her neck nervously. This was not normal.  
  
"You found it." Larek reached out to touch it but drew back.  
  
"Can we talk?"Â   
  
"Sure." Liz put down two chairs and they sat across from each other at the table.  
  
"Liz, there's a lot you don't know. But you're more than you pretend to be." Larek sat, deep in thought, his forehead wrinkled up as if he were putting together exactly what he'd say.Â   
  
"Zan was a very young leader. He was very resentful because of his father's death and to put it quite frankly, when you left, you ripped out his heart."  
  
"Larek, I... we don't even belong together."  
  
"He used to talk about you constantly. How he knew you'd write to him. How he knew something was wrong but couldn't help you. He was convinced that he felt your sadness, because you were connected. I'd never seen anything like it before." Liz looked up troubled.  
  
"You mean Eliza... I am not Eliza." Larek smiled at the old memories. Liz tried to hide it, but felt like smiling too. She didn't believe any of it. None of it was possible. But even if it wasn't, at least she was curious what things she could learn.  
  
"Do you remember when you first kissed?" His blue eyes were sparkling now.  
  
"Yea... on my porch after the heat wave..."  
  
"No, I mean the very first time."  
  
"No." Liz held on to the necklace on her neck and was sent as in a flash to a starry, dark night.  
  
~FLASH~  
  
"How goes it your majesty?" Larek smiled and fixed Zan's suit. So far, the party was going great. Everyone was there. Well, almost everyone.  
  
"Where is she?" Zan paced around the punch bowl nervously.  
  
"The party just started."  
  
"I know, I know. Why am I so nervous?"Â   
  
"Because it's your first date." Thirteen year old Zan looked up sarcastically.  
  
"It's not a date! I just asked her to come watch the stars after the party...." Just as he was finishing his sentence, he felt his heart skip. He didn't know why it happened every time he saw her. She walked in, her long gown and beautiful brown hair glistening in the light of Antar's three moons. She walked up to him smiling and he tried to look composed.  
  
"Sorry I'm late. Transportation trouble. Our ship did this whole 'own mentality' thing." She waved at Larek who saw the tension lift off Zan's shoulders and the previous anger melt from his eyes.  
  
"Come on, let's go outside. I can't stand this place."  
  
"You sound more and more like Rath everyday." She smiled at his sour statement and he took off his black cape and laid it as a blanket. They both lied down with the comfort of recognition. He loved watching stars with her. She was so smart and knew so much it was never boring. Lonnie was interested in stars too. But they rarely talked.Â   
  
"Oh... it's bright tonight." Liz gasped sounding like a small child. "You see that one? That star is the only star this far out visible from Earth. We call it the North star." She pointed up to the star and leaned in to talk over the dim music from inside.  
  
"I think of you whenever I see it." She lowered her gaze shyly and looked to her right, away from Zan's piercing eyes.  
  
"It's our star." It was so simple but heartfelt.Â   
  
"What?"  
  
"It's ours. That way no matter where we are, or what we're doing, we can remember... us." She laughed at the comment goodheartedly and nudged him.  
  
"Oh, I see. Suddenly you can own the stars." She looked over, glaring at his strong jaw line now becoming stubby with hair.  
  
"Eliza, I'm king of Antar. I can do and own whatever I want."  
  
"I see. When did you become brave and almighty?"  
  
"I'm not all that brave. There are things I'm sure I couldn't do, things I want to, but just can't because of fear."  
  
"Really? Name one." She stared into his eyes, and in a sudden movement, they were face to face, staring profoundly into each other's souls.  
  
"I... I really can't."  
  
"Come on! Take chances! Be bold!" Eliza's big brown eyes were large with mockery.Â   
  
"Eliza!" Zan raised his finger to her lips and shushed her. Slowly he moved in, and nervously but passionately kissed her.  
  
~REALITY~  
  
"I remember...." Liz sat in shock, amazed at the power and clarity of everything.  
  
"I knew you would." Larek smiled. He had accomplished his first mission. Getting her to believe.  
  
"Larek, what are you doing here?" He looked at her and his statement was serious.  
  
"There is something very important that we need to discuss. It's about Max's son." Liz looked at him confused.  
  
"What do I have to do with that?"  
  
"You have to help Max get his son back. And you two have to believe in the power of your unity, or it will never work."  
  
"I'm sorry I don't follow."  
  
"Your destiny Liz... it's with Max. You are Eliza, his one and only true love. But you cannot fulfill your purpose until you get his son back."  
  
"Get his son back?" Liz looked at Larek in shock. She could not believe he was even suggesting it.  
  
"Max is known all over Antar. Tess is queen there. His son is being trained to rule as Kivar does. We can't let that happen. It's time for peace on our planet. And the rest of the planets deserve peace too. Max would be murdered immediately. But you... you can save the world and win his love." Larek tried to make it sound as heroic as possible. It was not an easy thing he was asking her to do.  
  
"Wouldn't they kill me too?"  
  
"Half of the people don't know you exist. Most of them believe the story of the downfall of the royal family is a myth. That it wasn't some big love story. But it was. Both yours and Vilandra's."  
  
"But Max told me... it won't work." Liz looked down and placed her hand on her forehead frustrated. "Max came from the future. He told me things. Our relationship would ruin this world. I can't be a part of something destructive Larek. Oh God. What am I supposed to say?" Larek reached over and held her hands in his.  
  
"You don't have to decide now. Think about it. I'll be back in three days. You can decide what you're going to do then. Goodnight, Eliza." Liz looked up, deep thoughts filling her eyes. As he walked out, Liz sat quietly, before she was frightened by the sound of the doorbell. 


	11. Decisions

Chapter 11:  
  
Liz looked at the reflection of the man in the glass doors. Michael made a face almost smiling and waved at Liz. She got up and went to unlock the door. She smiled sadly and locked the door behind him.  
  
"Heard you might need a friend."  
  
"Who said that?"  
  
"Max."  
  
"Figures." Liz slumped in a chair and Michael pulled one down to sit next to her.  
  
"I noticed things have been weird between you two. I don't wanna see you guys break up again. I mean, I saw what Max was like with you; I liked who he was. With Tess he was bitter and all angry. He needs you Liz." Michael made a pathetic face and Liz looked down at her hands. She was playing with the salt and pepper shakers, sliding them from side to side. She stopped, thinking for a second, and looked up at Michael.  
  
"Did he send you?"  
  
"Does that matter?"  
  
"Did he?"  
  
"Yes." Liz shook her head in disapproval.  
  
"But only because he cares about you Liz."  
  
"It won't work. You yourself said so. I want it to... so bad. I've been trying so hard. I just  
  
feel like it was so one sided. You know what it's like."  
  
"Because I'm scared. Liz, I've never felt like I fit in anywhere until we met you guys. I always wanted to go home and be normal. But when Maria... I just knew this was home. Don't let love slip away Liz. It's what makes us human, all of us."  
  
"Michael..."  
  
"'Nuff said." Liz smiled and reached out for his hands.  
  
"I know you miss her. And I'll be willing to bet all I have that she misses you too. But our situations are different. Max has a destiny."  
  
"You really think she wants me back?" Liz shot Michael a look and he started laughing.  
  
"Kidding. Look, I have a destiny too."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Soooo, what's the problem?"  
  
"This." Liz shot her necklace across the table at Michael.  
  
"What the....?"  
  
"Just hold it for a while, you'll remember." Michael stared at the intricate design of the Earth. He closed his eyes and felt himself go back.  
  
~FLASH~  
  
They ran down the hallway to the chem. lab. They stopped, both trying to catch their breath.  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
"I don't know." Zan looked around trying to come up with another plan. Rath was panicking, this was not good.  
  
"I'm sorry." It was short and choppy, obviously unrehearsed and uncommon. Zan looked at Rath unsure of what to say.  
  
"For not being there I mean. I'm supposed to always help you. Now Vilandra is dead, because of me."  
  
"No. She's dead because of Kivar. You were off on official duty. Don't blame yourself, it's not worth it." Rath pouted as he usually did when he was frustrated.  
  
"Rath?"  
  
"Yea." Zan stopped the nervous search for the bottled chemistry and lifted up the labeled beaker.  
  
"If this doesn't work, I want you to know it's been a pleasure. You've always been like a brother to me." Rath smiled and patted Zan's back.  
  
"Ditto." Finally, they ran out in search of Serena, Larek, and Eliza.  
  
~REALITY~  
  
"What is that thing!?" Michael dropped it on the table and Liz grabbed it, placing it around her neck.  
  
"Another one of your alien artifacts, what else?" Maria walked in through the back swing door and sat between he and Liz.  
  
"Don't start!" Michael lowered his eyes angrily at Maria.  
  
"Start what? Do you see what you guys are doing to her! What all of you are doing to her? You guys are like the Alien Mafia!"  
  
"Mind your business ok?" Maria raised her eyebrows and looked at Michael with an attitude.  
  
"You know what? I'm not even gonna bother arguing with you because I know it turns you on too much! I'm just going to ignore you!"  
  
"Yea?"  
  
"Yea!"  
  
"God you're cute when you're mad." Michael gave Maria a seductive look, and just when Liz was catching on to the entire all too fast conversation, Michael had practically thrown himself on Maria and kissed her. Liz got up laughing. She silently made her way to the back room and looked through the small window to see Michael and Maria making out on the table.  
  
Liz smiled and went up to her room. She locked the door behind her and took out her strip of pictures of she and Max. She stared at them and sighed loudly.  
  
"What am I going to do about you?" She touched Max's face in the picture.  
  
"Liz!" The familiar whispering sound came from her balcony and she got up to go see.  
  
Max stood at the bottom of her balcony and as soon as he saw her, he made his way up.  
  
"I've got a surprise for you." Liz looked at him confused and he grabbed her jacket thrown on the chair and took her hand to drag her along.  
  
"Where are we going?" Liz felt herself get excited like a child, and ran behind Max to his blue convertible.  
  
"It's a surprise." Max drove off into the night, and excited Liz sitting beside him. She looked around at her surroundings and back at Liz with a pleased, flirtatious smile. He got into a secluded part of town and then eventually, he parked the car and grabbed her hand to walk.  
  
"Max?"  
  
"Just follow me." He smiled and held her hand tighter. They began to make their way through some wooded area. Finally they reached a barbed wire fence and a sign. It read : PULHMAN RANCH. Liz looked at Max in surprised glee.  
  
"What are we doing here?" She looked up at Max with her flirtatious look and he looked down at her in a way he hadn't in almost two years. With this desperate, passionate longing. She looked away from his intense stare and began to walk ahead.  
  
"This is...."  
  
"Where we spent the night." Max finished the sentence for her. He remembered the event as if it were yesterday. They had been off looking for clues about his crash. Her flashes got stronger every time they kissed and by now they were about ready to do what they had to just to solve the puzzle. But they found the communication orb first. It was a good thing too. Max never liked the idea of using Liz.  
  
"What is this all about?"  
  
"You." Max walked over to Liz and pointed at something on the rocks. It was a basket. She sat at his will and he sat next to her, pulling the basket in front of them. He pulled out a large cake and sodas. She smiled, feeling like a shy little girl again. Max served them both and then he looked up into the sky. He placed his hand up, and snow began to fall; just light flakes all around them looking like a fairy tale and making the area light. They ate with the beams of the car lights and the snow and Liz felt this strange urge.  
  
"What are you thinking about?"  
  
"Nothing. Nothing... just how great this all is. Why'd you do it?" Max put down his piece of cake and looked seriously at Liz. She smiled widely and lowered her eyes.  
  
"Liz... this is my statement of love." Liz's small body began to slightly shake and Max couldn't tell if she was crying or laughing.  
  
"You told me to prove it and that's what I'm doing." Max started to sound uncertain as Liz put her head in her hands and began to loudly break down laughing.  
  
"What is soooo funny?" He was very confused at this point and Liz looked back up at him, her eyes watery from her uncontrollable laughing. She got closer to Max, until she was face to face with him, and she softly picked a piece of the chocolate cake off of his nose. He made a slightly childish face, realizing now how ridiculous he must have looked declaring his love with a piece of chocolate cake on his nose. Liz put the small piece in her own mouth.  
  
"Hmmm... chocolate cake and hot sauce. Interesting." She smiled and Max just stared at the woman he had loved for so long. Why? He'd never know. There was just so much. She was smart, funny, sweet, beautiful, compassionate, understanding, loving, strong. She was so familiar. She was his heart. With these realizations, Max leaned in and kissed Liz. He placed his hand out towards the car and the radio turned on.  
  
Come to me now...  
  
Lay your hands over me  
  
Even if it's a lie  
  
Say it will be all right  
  
And I shall believe  
  
Broken in two  
  
And I know you're on to me  
  
That I only come home  
  
When so I'm so all alone  
  
And I do believe  
  
That not everything is gonna be the way you think it oughta be  
  
It seems like everytime I try to make it right it all comes down on me  
  
Please say honestly you won't give up on me  
  
And I shall believe...  
  
Liz listened and felt her heart drop. It was their song. Everything that happened just had to remind her that it wasn't meant to be. But she couldn't understand how two people who loved each other so much, were not allowed to be together.  
  
"Dance with me Liz." The statement made her look up into the smiling eyes of Max. No. She could not dance with him. Future Max had danced with her and then he disappeared. But this was reality, and Max would not disappear. She held out her hand and they slowly danced to their wedding song.  
  
"I love you Eliza." He whispered softly into her ear and touched her cheek softly, wiping away the snowflakes still falling.  
  
"I love you too Zan." Max stared at Liz wondering if she'd heard what she had just said. Then he saw it; their wedding. The same scene he'd seen in Vegas of them kissing and then one of them dancing in the middle of a crowded floor in their wedding clothes, laughing and feeling like they were the only two alive in the world. The visions made him kiss her. Almost like he felt he had no control. Like he had to touch her or he'd lose it. Like she needed to be his. And once he started kissing her, he didn't stop.  
  
  
  
"Oh my God!" Liz shot up and saw the sun coming up over the horizon. She had dreamed with Larek. He had come to her. He requested a meeting, that morning, right after dawn, in front of the Crashdown. He had said the decision couldn't wait. She looked over at Max and felt her heart bubble over with love... and regret. What if she never came back? She softly kissed his lips and whispered to him.  
  
"I love you. No matter what." She got up, got dressed and ran off. Shortly after she left, Max woke up alone.  
  
Liz called a taxi from her cell phone and was just arriving in front of the Crashdown. It was barely 6 o'clock in the morning, and Roswell was eerily quiet. Larek stood against the glass, waiting for her.  
  
Max was driving, exceeding the speed limit, hoping to catch up with Liz. Why had she left? Was she angry? Sad? Confused? He stepped on the pedal just thinking about the consequences of what happened the night before. "God don't I ever learn my lessons?"  
  
"Have you decided?" Larek looked at the messy Liz, hair pulled loosely back, face pink still looking rosy with the morning.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Max finally reached the city, as he looked around for Liz who was nowhere in sight. He thought quickly. She'd have to be at the Crashdown.  
  
"What will it be?" Larek stood up straight, his nerves now twitching in his stomach, trying to hide his eagerness.  
  
"I'll do it. I'll go back with you."  
  
Max was only a block away. There was no one on the roads. He felt like something was wrong. He felt it in his stomach. Something was very wrong.  
  
"Ok. Let's go." Larek began to walk towards the back of the Crashdown and Liz followed. Max drove up to the front and parked with a screech. Larek held out his hand and a warp opened exposing the stars and the open universe. Liz was scared like never before. She looked down at her necklace, wrapped her hand around it and closed her eyes. She raised it up to her lips and kissed it.  
  
"I'll find your son Max, and bring him to you. Then finally, we can be together." Max went towards the back to see if he could sneak in and saw both Larek and Liz standing by the warp.  
  
"After you." Liz smiled with unstable certainty. She stepped forward and all she heard was Max screaming her name as she looked back to see him running towards her, then she was swept into the strength of the warp. 


	12. Antar

Chapter 12:  
  
Â She opened her eyes slowly, her head still slightly throbbing.Â  Her brown eyes searched her surroundings trying to put things into focus.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I was hoping you'd awaken soon.Â  I was starting to worry."Â  A soft, very comforting female voice spoke to Liz and finally she met with a pair of sky blue eyes that seemed to smile at her.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Where am I?"Â  Liz sat up slowly and she saw the beautiful blonde that sat next to her.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Antar."Â  The whole concept of it was incredible.Â  She'd done it.Â   
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I'm really here?"Â  She looked around trying to make sense of her surroundings.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Yes."Â  The woman smiled.Â  She pulled over a small table and handed Liz a bowl of something hot and some napkins.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Don't try to get up.Â  You're still weak from the trip.Â  Eat this, it will make you feel better.Â  Then as soon as you feel up to it, we shall discuss strategy."Â  She smiled again, her smile warm and inviting.Â  Liz couldn't shake the feeling that she'd met her before.Â  There was so much about her.Â  Her voice, her eyes, her friendliness.Â  Liz nodded in silent agreement and began to sip the hot liquid in the bowl.Â  It was spicy, but it had a sweetness to it that made it irresistible.Â   
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "This is really good.Â  What is it?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Your favorite soup.Â  It's spicy chicken with orange sauce."Â  Liz looked up strangely amused.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "You still have that same demeanor.Â  It's incredible."Â  The woman stared at Liz curiously, full of interest and perception.Â   
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "What do you mean?"Â  Liz looked over as she tried not to slurp her soup.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I mean you're exactly as I remember you."Â  The woman laughed astonished and sent herself into a state of reminiscence.Â   
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I never quite got your name."Â  Liz put aside the half eaten soup and forced herself to sit up regardless of her throbbing headache.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Serena."Â  Liz's eyes widened at the familiar name.Â   
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I see you've heard of me.Â  Or perhaps you remember me?"Â  She looked at Liz excited hoping it was a little of both.Â  Little did she know it was.Â  Liz reached for her necklace and felt the heart.Â  Her eyes grew sad and she suddenly felt very homesick.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "You found it."Â  Serena whispered and reached over to look at it.Â  Liz looked up at Serena, her eyes were downcast and Serena knew this would be a difficult task they were trying to pull through.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Can I just ask you one question?"Â  Serena nodded with an understanding smile.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Why me?"Â  Serena reached out to hold Liz's hands and all Liz could think of was how much she reminded her of Maria.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Because you're special.Â  You stole the heart of a King and helped him save his soul.Â  Not too many people can say that.Â  You're risking a lot for him.Â  Like you always have."Â  Liz smiled and then tried to get out of bed.Â  Serena took her hands and helped her up.Â  Liz looked around at the modest little apartment with many modern day appliances.Â  She saw the funky furniture and again thought of Maria who she was beginning to miss terribly.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "This place looks a lot like Earth."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "In here it does.Â  It helps with the homesick feeling.Â  But once you step outside it's a whole different world.Â  Literally."Â  She sat and turned on a sound system that played soft music.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Homesickness?Â  You're from Earth?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Born and raised.Â  Sort of.Â  You and I... we grew up together.Â  I was your second hand, your best friend.Â  I was your advisor and in a sense your baby-sitter.Â  I was the one who made your last trip here from Earth with you."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I remember that."Â  By now the two women were sitting across from each other, having a really great conversation.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "What else do you remember?"Â  Serena leaned in with real interest.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Small things.Â  Mainly of my... Eliza's visit here before the royal family massacre."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Eliza's?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Yea.Â  Eliza's."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "You say it as if she were a different person."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "It's hard to believe that she was me and that I'm somehow still alive."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Why are you here then?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "What do you mean?"Â  Liz looked at her troubled, not sure she liked the direction of the conversation.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I mean, if you really don't believe who you are then why did you come here?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Because I have to help Max... uh Zan.Â  I have to help Zan find his son."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "You are Eliza.Â  Only Eliza would sacrifice everything to help Zan.Â  You have to believe.Â  It's so obvious."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "How am I supposed to believe that I once lived the life of a princess in love with a man from another planet when all I've known is my life on Earth as a simple, small town girl?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Would you believe in heaven if heaven was all you had?"Â  Serena's words strung a cord with Liz and she sighed loudly, not sure what to say.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "What's the plan?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "What did you do?!"Â  Max was running towards Larek in a panic.Â   
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Max."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Larek?"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "You have to let her go."Â  Max's eyes were jumping around wildly, his mind was in a jumble and he was furious.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Go?!Â  Go WHERE??!!"  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I think you need to calm down."Â  Larek tried to put his hand on Max's shoulder but Max refused to hear of it.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Take me to her."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Max..."Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â   
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "NOW!"Â  Larek saw the Zan he knew suddenly blaze in Max's eyes.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "You can't just leave things unattended.Â  People will suspect.Â  What about Rath and Vilandra?Â  What of them?"Â Â Â   
  
  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "I can't just let her go!"Â  Max was getting frustrated and he ran his fingers through his hair.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Do what you have to do, and I promise I'll stay until it's all done.Â  Then I'll take you back to get her.Â  If she's not done by then."  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Where is she?"Â  Max asked afraid of the answer he'd get.  
  
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â "Antar.Â  She went to get your son." 


	13. Becoming Kismet

Chapter 13:  
  
The streets were full of all sorts of people. Merchants, traders, children with their families. Liz walked with Serena looking over the kingdom. Serena had changed Liz's hair and dressed her with some of her own clothes. Now Liz was a red head with her hair up in curls and a simple dress that looked like it was out of Sense and Sensibility.  
  
"I feel stupid."  
  
"Just smile and nod." Serena laughed at Liz's uncomfortable situation and walked up to an old woman with flowers.  
  
"Good morning." Serena smiled and paid the woman some change. The woman handed her two flowers. One tiger lily and a white rose. Liz took the white rose and smelled it softly.  
  
"Thank you." Liz smiled at the elderly woman and the woman looked up with old but wise eyes.  
  
"My pleasure... your Majesty." She whispered it, but Liz's ears burned as if she sensed the entire town had heard it.  
  
"What did you say?" Liz whispered to the woman hoping it was simply a mistake. The woman looked up again with a smile in her eyes.  
  
"You are Eliza, queen of the Earth, are you not?" The woman spoke softly and made sure no one else could hear her. Serena had started to move ahead and hadn't realized Liz's distraction.  
  
"How did you know that?" Liz was uneasy about the woman's words and was unsure whether she should worry or not.  
  
"I do not intend to hurt you my child. Your eyes... your smile; they are just as I remember them. But your spirit is stronger than any I've seen in years. Your soul is strong and vivacious. You dare to dream but know that reality is far from your own."  
  
"And you are?" Liz's eyes were full of anxiety but her heart was full of interest.  
  
"Clara. I was Zan's advisor and am known in the kingdom as the wise woman."  
  
"A pleasure." Liz reached out to touch Clara's wrinkled hands and the woman smiled at their touch.  
  
"You've come back for us."  
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"The prophecy said you'd be back. Is Zan with you?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." The woman's extent of information was frightening and Liz was beginning to feel awkward .  
  
"If he is not with you now, he will come back to save you. Steer clear from the queen, she will recognize you quickly. And good luck!" The woman was still holding on to Liz's hand as Serena walked back to get her.  
  
"Liz! Come on." Serena looked at the woman's eyes and at how hard they stared into Liz's. She knew something important had happened. She grabbed Liz's hand and dragged her along with her.  
  
"What was that all about?" Serena began to walk fast towards the castle. Liz was being pulled along behind her.  
  
"She knew who I was. She told me about a prophecy." Serena suddenly stopped and stood face to face with Liz. She stared into her eyes and tried to think of the right words to say.  
  
"I know this is a lot for you. Yes. There is a prophecy that our King would return with his true love and redeem the kingdom and kill Kivar. But it's only a prophecy. We make our destinies. That's what we're here to do. If this works out, then we can say we fulfilled the prophecy."  
  
"If not?"  
  
"It'll work out." Serena began towards the castle again and Liz walked behind her with her heart beating fast and butterflies in her stomach. They walked in through the large doors and into a huge beautifully decorated hallway. Serena walked along until they reached another set of doors. Two guards stood in front of them and Serena took out her hand. They scanned her hand and a set of numbers appeared.  
  
"This is my cousin from Earth. She is to stay with me for a while. I am going to introduce her to the King now, and then she will be branded." The guards nodded in agreement and let them in. The room was full of people and gifts. At the top of the room sat Kivar in all his glory and Tess with a small child at her side. Kivar's piercing green eyes caught Liz's and she felt her throat knot. He was much more handsome than he had been on Earth. His dark hair fell on his face and Liz understood how Isabel had so quickly fallen for him. She kept her head bowed and saw Tess out of the corner of her eye. She looked different, her face was like that of a painting, her features perfectly molded, her blue eyes piercing, her long blonde hair falling on her back with soft curls and a golden crown. But her essence was exactly the same. She still gave Liz the same sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach and she still had the domineering presence. After several minutes, she and Serena walked up to the front and Liz kept her head bowed.  
  
"Sir, Miss. My cousin Kismet from Earth."  
  
"Kismet? What is it you are destiny of Miss Kismet?"  
  
"My heart sir." Liz whispered the words passionately and Kivar looked on pleased. He liked her. She was beautiful. Her long red hair, her deep hazel eyes and her soothing voice. He smiled to himself thinking of how he'd love to have her for himself, if only for several minutes. He'd pursue her. She'd be his.  
  
The blonde sitting next to him saw the familiar look in his eyes and cursed herself at her envy. Why had Nasedo tormented her with a life of torture and unfeeling? She hated her destiny on Earth. She hated the fact that her own husband didn't love her, didn't give her his heart. She hated the fact that the man whom she was now with saw her as he saw every other woman. Another prize to be won. The only thing to gain from her union with Kivar was the kingdom and the title. The feeling of self-importance. But she wondered if it was worth all that she'd lost. The young boy sitting next to her stared at the beautiful woman kneeling with her head held low. He walked over to her and touched her hair. Liz held in her breath. She saw the small feet on the ground and wanted to look up into the child's eyes. He held her chin and pushed her face up to face him. His deep brown eyes yelled out Max's name. There was no denying this child was his.  
  
"Momma?" The child whispered at the woman in front of him. He felt this strong attraction to her. A strange sense of familiarity.  
  
"Lareth, step back." The blonde woman stood up quickly and the young child stepped back immediately. Liz tried to conceal her shivering on the floor. She felt dizzy and had to get home as soon as possible. Serena bowed, apologized for any inconvenience, and held out Liz's hand to be branded. Liz winced at the heat of the lasers but immediately shrugged off the pain. Serena saw the sweat build on Liz's brow and knew something was wrong. She hurried her home. Serena closed and locked the door behind them.  
  
"Liz what's wrong?" Liz practically fell on the bed in the room and Serena ran after her with a wet rag.  
  
"I feel weak. I can't breath." Liz was now drenched in sweat, her eyes were dilated, and her hands were shaking.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"Lareth... I know him...." Liz slowly closed her eyes and fainted. As Serena rushed to get some herbal medicines she saw Liz's necklace begin to light up and she stopped what she was doing.  
  
"He's trying to contact her." Serena's eyes widened and she dropped the bowl and ran to the chemistry lab. 


	14. Stranger in the Castle

Chapter 14:  
  
"Are you ready?" Liz looked into the mirror and saw the beautiful gown that shaped her so well.  
  
"I don't think I should be wearing this. Not after the attention I've been getting from Kivar."  
  
"That's the plan Liz. Get him to notice you and hopefully we can distract him enough to take Lareth with us."  
  
"But if I have to kiss him one more time..."  
  
"Liz, Max understands. If he knew it was because of your efforts to save his son, he'd understand."  
  
"So what have you found out from the research you've done?" Serena had been working day in and day out for almost three days trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle. The strange meeting between Lareth and Liz, Liz's constantly glowing necklace, how late Larek was at returning.  
  
"Liz. There's something I have to tell you..."  
  
"Yea?" Liz turned around with her big brown eyes and beautiful red gown.  
  
"Nothing. You... look beautiful." Serena smiled unsure and prayed that Larek would come tonight as arranged.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
AT THE CASTLE:  
  
Liz looked around at all of the properly dressed men and women and she had to pinch herself to make sure it was real.  
  
"Liz, you have had one weird life." She smiled at all the guests as she walked in and she made her way to the punch bowl. She stood watching, fixing her elbow gloves and laughed at her reflection in the bowl.  
  
"Maria was right. I am so not a red head." Liz lowered her head sadly and felt a pair of strong arms around her waist. She felt her heart skip a beat. Could it be?  
  
"You look beautiful." She turned to face the frighteningly seductive green eyes.  
  
"Kivar!" He swept Liz up and kissed her, first softly then firmly. She tried to keep all thoughts of Max out of her head in order to maintain her sanity. She felt a pair of eyes watching her. She looked around and as Kivar pulled away she quickly closed her eyes. She opened them again and he smiled flirtatiously. She held her stomach in fear that she'd be sick. She felt nauseous and wanted to just run from there. He dismissed himself and snuck up over to the front where he officially began to party. Liz looked up at Ava who was staring down at her with a look of envy that Liz thought would kill her. But she felt another pair of eyes on her, and she couldn't figure out who it was.  
  
She stood trying to regain her composure. It was just the beginning of the night and she was already feeling ill. Kivar made her nauseous, Ava made her nervous, and the atmosphere made her extremely dizzy. But there was something else. She looked up at a pair of innocent brown eyes that stared at her from the platform. He stared deeply into her eyes as if trying to relay a message and she felt it. She looked down and saw her necklace begin to glow. She looked around hoping no one could see it. She held it tightly and closed her eyes. What? What is it you're trying to say Lareth? Just as quick as she closed her eyes she opened them and felt herself be swept into a dance. A firm hand held her waist, another held her hand. The feeling was familiar. Natural.  
  
"Hi gorgeous. Let's go outside." Liz looked at the handsome stranger. There was something about him she couldn't quite pinpoint but she knew his voice.  
  
"Liz... it's me." He whispered into her ear and she almost went weak at the knees.  
  
"Max?!"  
  
"Shhh. Come on." They danced out into the garden. The three moons were shining bright and Max held Liz's hand firmly through the crowd. All through Ava's eyes followed them outside. Once they were in complete solitude Max grabbed Liz and kissed her with all the want and need he'd ever held.  
  
"What were you thinking?" He kissed her again, touching her face and her hair never wanting to let her go.  
  
"Are you crazy?!" Liz kissed him back just as strongly and full of passion. This was how it should feel to be kissed.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"God, I thought I'd lost you." He held her in his arms and softly kissed her hair.  
  
"I missed you so much." Max looked inside and saw Ava's peering eyes looking for them somewhere behind the bushes.  
  
"Let's go before they catch us." Max dragged Liz away and she stumbled behind him glad that he was finally there with her. They made it to Serena's house and as soon as the door closed Max kissed Liz again except he didn't care who saw.  
  
"Don't you ever do that to me again!" He held her face as he kissed her and she smiled as she felt his shoulders loosen up.  
  
"I'm glad you're here. There's something I need to talk to you about." Liz pulled away as she spoke between breaths and finally Max calmed down. She sat him on the couch and Serena walked in from the chemistry lab.  
  
"What are you doing here? Liz? Max, I thought I told you to leave her alone?" Serena looked like a mother scolding her young child.  
  
"Did you really think I could stay away?" Max stated with a sheepish grin that made Liz want to smother him with kisses.  
  
"I should've known." Serena smiled and Larek called her into the back room. "I'll be back."  
  
"Ok. So what is it you want to tell me." Max took Liz's hand and held it as she spoke.  
  
"I saw him." She looked into Max's eyes trying to read his expression.  
  
"You saw who?"  
  
"Your son." Max felt himself get dizzy. They were here. They were so close and still there was a possibility that they wouldn't make it back.  
  
"He looks just like you." Liz smiled as she said it and felt troubled at how connected she felt to the small child. Max saw the trouble in her eyes and he held her hands tighter.  
  
"No matter what Liz. Remember... I adore you." She smiled shyly and he kissed her forehead.  
  
"There's something about him Max. He doesn't seem to be at all like Tess. He came up to me and called me mommy. There's something weird." Max looked at her confused and thought of an idea.  
  
"I'll go to him tonight. I'll see if I can make a connection."  
  
"Max you just can't go barging into the castle!" Liz looked at him trying to point out how unreasonable he was being.  
  
"I have to try Liz. Larek can come with me and distract the guards. We have to find out what we can do. If I catch him alone I'll take him with me. Then we can finally go home." He smiled at her hopeful and called Larek. They gathered their things and headed off. Liz sat praying it would all work out. Nothing could go wrong. They couldn't afford to get discovered.  
  
"LIZ!" Serena came running into the room with a bewildered expression on her face. Before she could get into the living room and say anything the door flew open.  
  
"Kismet." A guard stood demanding her presence. Liz stood up and stepped forward.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"The queen has requested your presence. Immediately." Serena's eyes grew wide. She knew. They grabbed Liz and took her with them just as Serena rushed to get her things. They needed to get Liz and Max and get out. They would not be able to rescue Lareth, not according to what she had just learned. 


	15. Secrets Revealed

Chapter 15:  
  
Larek and Max ran around the castle through the bushes trying to be as silent as possible. Larek had few mind control powers and Max knew some small tricks to hide him. They crawled around in silence and reached a side with a small slope that would allow him to jump up on. There were several guards patrolling the area and Larek could not afford for Max to get captured. He'd be killed right away. Mercy, was not an option.  
  
"Ok. Just distract the guards and I'll run up and see if I can get to him."  
  
"Are you sure that's his bedroom?"  
  
"Almost positive. I can feel him."  
  
"We can't afford an almost. I need you to be positive."  
  
"I am. I'm going." Larek shook his head in disagreement and he closed his eyes to see what he could pull off. The guards stood still and then seconds later they were in a panic.  
  
"We are under attack! Under attack!" They all ran to the front and stared out to what seemed like an army approaching slowly. Max ran out into the clear, jumped on the slope and then climbed up into the open window. He looked around, a little lost at first and then a small child walked in from another room and closed the door behind him. When they first made eye contact the child gasped and Max rushed his fingers to his lips and whispered that he wouldn't hurt him, but that he needed him to be completely quiet. The child stared at him wistfully. They didn't pull their eyes off of each other for what seemed like forever.  
  
"Daddy..." He stared into Max's eyes and Max smiled at his words.  
  
"Yes." The little boy ran to him and hugged him. Max looked down into the deep, brooding eyes of his son that were so much like his. And like someone else's, but at the moment he didn't know quite who's.  
  
"You remember me?"  
  
"Of course!" The child was so big, Max wasn't sure how time worked on Antar, but it sure was fast.  
  
"Lareth..."  
  
"That's not my name." Max looked at his son in bewilderment.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"My name is Xander. I was named sort of after you. But with an 'x'. Mommy thought it was the cutest name." The child smiled sadly at the memories. He reached out and hugged Max again.  
  
"It's ok. I'm here now." Max held him tightly and felt his heart go out to the small child he'd made. He only wished... well it was too late for that now.  
  
"Come on, we have to go!" The child pulled his arm away and stared blankly at Max.  
  
"Xander come on!" Xander just lowered his eyes to the floor and shook his head.  
  
"I can't. I'm not who you're looking for." At this point Max was completely perplexed.  
  
"What do you mean? Of course you are! You're my son... and I'm taking you home with me where you can be safe and sound." Max stared at him matter of factly.  
  
"The son you are searching for is dead." Max felt the floor fall out from under him He leaned back and sat on the bed. He was dizzy and not at all ready for a conversation such as that one.  
  
"Xander... I don't understand." Xander stepped closer to Max and Max's necklace began to glow. It got brighter as he stepped closer. Xander put his hand in Max's and just looked into his eyes. That's when Max felt the flash.  
  
~ FLASH ~  
  
"What is it?" Liz looked at Max lovingly as he wiped the sweat off her brow and pulled her hair back behind her ear.  
  
"It's a boy." Liz looked up to the sky and let out a long breath. She had done it. She had given birth and it was not an easy thing. She held her son in her hands and he looked up at his smiling parents. They knew it would be an interesting experience.  
  
__________________________ __________________  
  
"I have to go to them! Please!" Xander stood crying and panicked.  
  
"You can't just go back in time Xan, you know that!" Maria and Serena stared at the child who was so fixed in his decision.  
  
"We've gotta do something! Everything is changing! We don't have much time!"  
  
"NO! It is too dangerous! Your father has already gone ahead to see if he can change the future. Now we can just hope and pray it will work."  
  
"But if they don't stay together... I won't even exist!" Maria took the child in her arms and rubbed his hair lovingly.  
  
"They'll stay together. I promise. If there's anything that I know it's Max and Liz. They know that in reality their destiny is each other. They found each other once... they'll do it again." She looked at Serena hopefully and she lowered her eyes. It was going to be a different world. She didn't know what would happen.  
  
"You have to know that your mommy and daddy love you. Very much. They always will. They would do anything for you..."  
  
"And I for them!" Xander was crying by now and Maria walked him upstairs to his bedroom in the small house. She came back down and saw Serena with her face in her hands looking hopeless.  
  
"Liz hasn't come back yet. Do you think it worked?" She held her hands nervously. Michael had died just hours ago and Maria could do little to keep herself under control.  
  
"I sure hope so. It's the only hope we have." She looked at Maria's watery eyes and the door swung open. Liz stood there, in shock, Larek behind her.  
  
"He's gone...." Liz said the words but couldn't believe it herself. "I won't ever see him again, or have him love me."  
  
"You don't know that!" Maria jumped up and hugged her friend which only brought them more tears.  
  
"You found each other once. You'll do it again." Larek looked over at Serena and held out his hand as she held in and got up to hug him.  
  
"I'm sure of it." They stood there trying to make sense of it all as Xander put the note he'd written on his bed and jumped out the window. He was only about six years old, but he was very stubborn and his parents were what he lived for. He took his bike and got to the Granolith chamber. He kissed the necklace his parents had given him and closed his eyes as he slowly placed the quartz inside the huge rock and found himself minutes later flying through space.  
  
~ REALITY ~  
  
"Oh my God!" Max pulled his son in for a hug and felt the tears swell up in his eyes. This was his son. His future son. He and Liz's future son.  
  
"I will disappear as soon as you kill Kivar and take Mommy back home. I don't really exist in this time, but if you stay with her I will. Ava thinks that I am her son. I am not. Please... whatever you do, stay with mommy. You need her. I need you guys. Together you can save the planet and my future. Just as you promised." He looked into Max's eyes and Max wondered what had happened to his future version and if he'd ever arrived here on Earth. Max smiled and his necklace began to dim. He looked down unsure of what was happening.  
  
"It's mommy. GO! Go save her!"  
  
"But..." Xander was practically throwing him out.  
  
"Go! If something happens to her, then I'm gone! Please... daddy I want to live!" Max looked terrified at the pressure suddenly put on his shoulders and turned to hug his son one last time.  
  
"I love you Daddy." The brave child smiled and Max went out the way he came in. Liz was in trouble and he had to save her. But he wouldn't just be saving the love of his life this time, he'd be saving their entire future.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Liz kneeled at the presence of the queen. She kept her head low, her eyes downcast. The beautiful blonde woman stood up tall and simply stared at the girl on the floor. There was something all too familiar about her and she didn't like it.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked demandingly and with a strange expression.  
  
"Kismet, cousin of Serena from Earth. I have come to stay with her for a while until I find my own settlement. My parents have died. I have no where to go." She looked up for an instant and the expression of innocence on her face triggered a memory with Ava. She walked up to the girl and pulled her by the hair to look up at her.  
  
"I know you're up to something. I don't know what, but I don't like it. I know those eyes and that voice. You better tell me what I ask of you or I'll have you killed. And don't think I'd mind it at all. I've killed before and I'll do it again. Besides, I wouldn't mind Kivar's attention all to myself." Liz's eyes filled with a sudden hatred at her comment and she looked down quickly hoping Ava hadn't seen them. She was so confused as to how Tess, who was now known as Ava on Antar, was so different from Ava who had befriended Liz on Earth.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Suddenly her hand was on Liz's head and Liz felt a throbbing pain in the back of her neck. She closed her eyes tightly and tried hard to control the pain that was making her want to faint.  
  
"Aghhh!!!! Stop!" She yelled as loud as she could possibly manage and Ava threw her repulsively onto the ground.  
  
"I knew it! I knew it! What are you doing here? Is he here!?? I'm going to kill you once and for all!" Suddenly her eyes were in flames and Liz was afraid she'd kill her on the spot. The guards came running in and Kivar came in after him.  
  
"We are not under attack...." He stopped at the scene he saw and made his way through the guards to face his wife.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?"  
  
"Send guards up to watch Lareth." He stared at her blankly and saw an anger in her eyes he'd never seen before. "NOW!" Four guards ran up and Kivar looked at the beautiful stranger on the ground.  
  
"We are in fact under attack." Ava looked over at Kivar then back down at Liz who was lying motionless on the floor.  
  
"By whom?"  
  
"Zan is here. He'll be searching for his son, and he won't stop until he gets him." Kivar's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"Then we'll have to kill him. Once and for all." He looked down at Liz who was beginning to move. Ava looked down and got closer to Kivar.  
  
"And his little girlfriend." 


	16. Sweet Revenge

Chapter 16:  
  
Max ran down the side and jumped off the small ledge. He ran into the bushes and met up with Larek.  
  
"Where is he?!" Larek looked stunned and like he was going to shoot him.  
  
"He can't come. Come on Liz is in trouble!" He started to run low and Larek followed him all the way to Serena's house. She sat on the couch crying and looking terrified. Larek ran to her side and he placed his arm around her.  
  
"Are you all right?" She looked up at him and tried to smile. She looked exhausted.  
  
"I got it now. I understand what happened." They stared at her and Max bent down to her eye level and waited.  
  
"Lareth is not really your son Max. Not the one you came to rescue...."  
  
"I know that." Max smiled at Serena and she looked down in shame at how clue less she'd been.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be. How'd you figure it out?"  
  
"What I haven't told you is that I have a gift. Not only am I a science nerd, which is why Liz and I get along in the first place, but I have the gift of time. Vilandra had the gift of dreams, you had the gift of healing, Rath had the gift of power and strength, Ava the gift of mind control. But Liz and I have powers too. Liz has quiet powers that she uses everyday without even knowing it. She has the gift of perception and understanding. But if you both have bonded... completely bonded, then she can do much more. She just has to know it. Her bondage with you changes her life completely. Just as mine changed with Larek."  
  
"You and Larek are...?"  
  
"Yes. We are together. We have been for a very long time."  
  
"So you have the power of time? What does that mean?" Max stared at the woman who bore a striking resemblance to Maria and smiled. No wonder Brody had fallen all over her.  
  
"It means that I hold memories of all the things that have happened and things that will happen. With a lot of work and straining I can remember things from my other lives. I helped you return to your past about twenty years from now. Your future self went back and altered the future. However, before much could happen, Xander escaped also and somehow was transported here, into Ava's care. It was a mistake, a small chemical imbalance, but it could've cost him his life. The thing is, prophecy states that you two have to be together. If you're not, then both Earth and Antar will fall apart. Think about it Max. Without Liz, you wouldn't be here at this exact moment. Everything would be as always... Kivar as leader. Now you have the chance to change that. You have to. On Earth, without Liz, your judgment stinks, I'm sorry to say and you're off balance. You need her to complete you, more than you know. She is your conscience and your second opinion on many things. You have to believe in the power of your union, especially if you have mated. If you have... which you don't have to tell me, then you're unstoppable. No one can separate you now." Max stared at her in disbelief. It was so much to take in. So much that made sense but he never even thought of until now.  
  
"So what do I do?" He felt so confused, so overwhelmed. Larek reached out a hand and pulled up the necklace. It was slightly glowing and Max felt little strength coming from it.  
  
"Go save your queen." Max stood up and knew what he had to do. He ran out of the house and straight over to the castle. He snuck around and managed to knock out one of the guards. He took his uniform and looking like a royal guard he walked right in through the front doors. He looked around at the amazing sight and heard a familiar voice coming from a small chamber. He walked in quietly and saw her. He knew right away it was Tess. Images of her flashed in his mind and he felt himself grow furious. He hated what she'd done to him. All of it. He slammed the door shut and she turned stunned to stare at the man who was supposed to be a guard. His eyes spoke volumes and she found herself holding her breath.  
  
"I told you this wasn't over." She stepped back in a panic and saw the anger in his eyes.  
  
"You won't kill me. I'm the mother of your son." She tried to remain calm and dared him with her eyes. He smiled, a smile that bothered her and made her uncomfortable.  
  
"Are you? See, cause I have reason to believe you're not. And that's reason enough for me to kill you." She fell against the wall and saw a look in his eyes that she recognized. It was a look she'd never had to have in this lifetime, she remembered it from another. It was the look of the once powerful and ruthless King Zan. That's when she truly felt afraid.  
  
"I think we've got to discuss this..." She tried to say something but it was interrupted by the sound of Liz screaming. Ava couldn't help but smile at the distraction. It was her revenge for him treating her so badly on Earth. For not loving her. Max held out his hand and she went flying. She landed on the other side of the room. He walked up to her and she was struggling to get up.  
  
"You're a traitor. I can't believe the nerve you have, to do any of the things you did. You get what you deserve."  
  
"You wouldn't kill me... you don't have the heart." Max reached down and grabbed her by the neck and slammed her head against the wall. Suddenly, he saw the life drain out of her eyes as he held her neck tightly.  
  
"I guess you were wrong about me. That one's for Alex." He dropped her lifeless body and went to search for Liz. He ran down the hallway and the necklace began to glow again.  
  
"Ok, lead me to her. Come on baby, just call out to me." He whispered to himself as he went out into the large dining room and past the long corridor into the other side of the castle. He felt Liz's presence get stronger and he heard talking and sounds coming from the last room. He ran in to the room and saw Kivar grabbing Liz by the neck up against the bed stand.  
  
"Where is he?" He was demanding an answer from her, just as Max practically delivered himself into his hands.  
  
"No... go." Liz tried to force the words out with the little bit of air she was receiving and suddenly she saw the look on Max's face. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before, but somehow recognized. It was a face she'd seen years and years ago. The same face he had made right before they were killed.  
  
"Well, doesn't this seem all too familiar." Kivar had dropped Liz and by now she was rubbing at the spots on her neck and trying hard to catch her breath again. He walked slowly toward Max and he stuck out his hand about to attack when Max put up his shield.  
  
"Oh, I see. Little boy tricks. Well, I'm sorry to inform you that won't work. See, I am the one with the upper hand here Zan. The one with the maximum power. Just as I was the night I took over."  
  
"What makes you think I can't take you on?" He looked directly into Kivar's eyes and Liz looked at him frightened at what she thought they were going to do.  
  
"Because you're not man enough. You never were. Not even to save your wife." Liz's mouth dropped open at what he had just said. He had killed them, all of them. Even his own lover. The man had no heart, no soul. And she knew it. She looked at Max now, trying to catch his eyes but he refused it. Then she knew what he was doing. He was stalling so she could get out. He finally looked at her, and tried to smile but couldn't. All he could think of was the fact that he had let her die, and might just have to again.  
  
"You're a creep you know that?" Liz's sudden outbreak surprised both of them. They both looked at her unsure of what the heck she was talking about. She stood up from the bed and she walked over by Max's side.  
  
"You don't know what else to do to make yourself King. You had to go and kill everyone didn't you? Why couldn't you just marry Vilandra? That wasn't enough for you? Oh, I forget, you didn't even love her. You just used her to get to Zan. Just the same as you used Ava just to get to her son. Well guess what? From where I'm standing, that would mean that YOU are not the man. And by the way, the good guys always win where I come from." Max stared at her for a second, unsure of what to say. That was not at all like Liz to flip like that, and she wasn't very good at it, but it was something. He tried not to laugh at her and then he looked seriously at Kivar. It was time to get rid of him once and for all. Kivar laughed, deep and hearty at Liz's ridiculous comment and Max let go of the shield. Kivar let up a hand and went to attack before Max could really notice what was happening.  
  
"NO!" Liz grabbed her necklace in panic and closed her eyes wishing for it all to end. Suddenly, Kivar went flying towards the back of the room and Max stood with his mouth open.  
  
"Where'd that come from?" He looked down at Liz who looked just as confused as he was.  
  
"I don't know! Go... go do your alien thing!" Max ran over to Kivar and jumped on him. They started to fight on the floor and Liz wasn't sure what to do. She stared at them and then she felt it. She felt the change of atmosphere and she turned around to see Xander standing at the doorway.  
  
"Hurry! You have to get out of here!" He was yelling at her and then he ran in and grabbed her hand. Max heard the scream and looked up just as Kivar threw him off him. Liz reached in trying to grab Max's hand and the three ran out and the door was sealed behind them.  
  
"Wait! How did you do that?" Xander simply smiled and told them to run.  
  
"What about you?" Liz was trying to figure out what was going on and Max just grabbed her hand.  
  
"Don't worry about it. Let's go!"  
  
"But your son!" That's when the room blew up in flames. No one was in there. No one had set fire. Just the small child that stood in front of the door and his mischevious little smile. He had completely torched the place.  
  
"Oh my God!" They ran for cover and as they left the castle they were met with Serena and Larek at the front.  
  
"Come on, we have to get you two out of here now!"  
  
"Wait, what's the problem?!" They ran after the pair and were in Serena's house in a matter of minutes. They ran into the back and out into a small cave. They went in and Max and Liz's eyes were wide with surprise as they saw the large object.  
  
"The Granolith?"  
  
"Wait, wait. I thought this was destroyed."  
  
"You can never have too much of a good thing." Serena smiled and they knew immediately that her genius mind was behind all of its building and engineering. She was to thank for all of it.  
  
"You have to go now, or you won't be able to go back."  
  
"What about Lareth?" Liz looked at Max with a sad face.  
  
"He can't come with us. His life is elsewhere. With us, in the future."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"He's our son Liz. His name is Xander, after me and Alex." Liz felt the color leave her cheeks and she was suddenly extremely dizzy.  
  
"He came from the future...."  
  
"Like Future Max." She whispered and Max looked at her in amazement.  
  
"You know about that?"  
  
"There's a lot you two need to talk about. But you can't do it now. You have to go before they find Kivar and Ava or you'll both get slaughtered." Larek held his hand out to the Granolith and it began to glow. Liz and Max held hands and kissed just as they had when they jumped off the bridge. They smiled at their friends and jumped in. 


	17. Going Back

Chapter 17:  
  
"Liz! Oh my God! Can I just kill you!??? What were you thinking!" Maria's blue eyes were wild with anger and Liz looked up trying to understand what had happened.  
  
"Girl you scared me. I thought for sure I'd lost you." Maria hugged her friend desperately and that's when Liz realized she was in a hospital.  
  
"Max...."  
  
"He's fine. He's in the room next door."  
  
"What happened?" Liz looked around trying to find a time or date.  
  
"You and Max were found unconscious this morning, outside over by your balcony. It looked like it could be a hit and run. Some people these days, I mean really. It was like you weren't here. Like you were somewhere else completely. I thought you'd died...." Maria choked on the words and Liz reached out to hug her friend. There was so much she had to tell her.  
  
"I wasn't here. And I wasn't hit by a car. I'm fine. I was somewhere really far from here." Liz's eyes looked excited, like that of a small child.  
  
"You weren't here or hit by a car, you just happened to be unconscious?"  
  
"I was on Antar." Maria's eyes widened at the comment and she picked up Liz's medical chart.  
  
"Oh my God you must have hit your head hard. Is it possible to have post traumatic stress this early?"  
  
"Maria, I'm serious." Maria held her friend's hand and sighed. She'd just have to wait and see if Liz's health would get normal with a few days in the hospital. In the other room, Isabel was all over Max, yelling at him for leaving without telling her, for putting his life in danger, for not saying good bye, and for anything else she felt like yelling about.  
  
"Iz, I'm right here. Do you really have to yell?" He rubbed his head in agony and she sat down and stared at him for a second.  
  
"You and Liz could have died. Didn't you even consider that?"  
  
"She left first, I had nothing to do with the decision." Isabel lowered her eyes and then looked at Max with sparkling thoughts.  
  
"What's it like?"  
  
"It's not Earth. It's nothing like what I thought it would be. But maybe that's because it was a part of our past. Now we simply have to look into the future. That's the most important thing. And from what I've been told, the future looks great. For all of us."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
This is Liz Parker and there is so much I have to tell you. I'm back. Finally, I have returned, to you and to Earth. Leaving here was probably the most interesting and life altering experience I'll ever have. There is so much I appreciate now. Family, friends, love. I don't know what I'd do if it weren't for Maria and Kyle and Michael and Isabel and Max. Especially Max. See, we've spent so long trying to figure out what's right for us, so long trying to figure out our destinies. But what we didn't realize is, we have what we need right here in front of us. Life, is our destiny and the way we live it is up to us. So much can change in an instant. I changed an enitre future when I pretended to sleep with Kyle. Max and I changed an entire world. I don't know if I'll ever love anyone the way I love Max Evans. It seems impossible. Because he and I... we are bonded. We have this bond that surpasses time. It's a bonding of the souls that makes us go back to each other, time and time again. Soul mates. I knew the moment I saw him, really saw him, that nothing would be the same. That Max was someone who would change me, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. And I was right. Max helped me discover who I really am. Whether I'm some princess destined to be with him since the beginning of time, or just me, Elizabeth Parker, age 17, high school student in Roswell, New Mexico; I'm his. And it's nice to think that it will be that way for an eternity. For then, for now, forever.  
  
  
  
THE END  
  
That's it guys! I hope everyone who read it enjoyed it.... and so you know there is a sequel! So read and review! And if you really like it, then I'll post the sequel! Thanks! =P ~Sel 


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